CIA begins firing recently hired officers in efficiency drive: Report

The CIA has started firing recently hired officers as part of a broader effort to reduce government spending and increase efficiency, according to a Thursday report by the New York Times.

Officers hired within the last two years, classified as "probationary employees," have been summoned to locations away from the agency's headquarters in the eastern US state of Virginia, and asked to surrender their credentials.

A spokeswoman for the intelligence agency confirmed dismissals to the newspaper but did not specify the number of employees affected.

Sources familiar with the situation said not all recent hires would be let go, and the firings appeared to be based on performance.

The dismissals follow a White House directive to reduce the federal workforce. Last month, the CIA sent a list of employees with less than two years experience to the Office of Personnel Management in an unclassified email, complying with the administration's orders.

While the firings are widespread, fewer dismissals have been reported in critical areas such as intelligence collection on China and Mexican drug cartels.

The CIA's actions are part of the Trump administration's initiative to streamline government operations and cut costs.