Washington, D.C. — A former CIA officer who served nearly two decades in the intelligence community says President Donald Trump’s personnel changes are weakening national security by driving experienced analysts from government and discouraging officials from challenging the White House.
Julia Curlee, the first CIA officer to transition openly while continuing to serve, told PBS NewsHour that experts are being removed either because of who they are or because their assessments conflict with administration priorities. Curlee previously briefed Trump and Vice President Mike Pence and later worked on the National Security Council.
Curlee said she was removed from her White House role during Trump’s second term after initially being retained because of her expertise. She argues her transgender identity ultimately became a factor in her dismissal, a claim she also detailed in a recent Atlantic essay.
The White House rejected her criticism. Spokesperson Anna Kelly told PBS that Trump has broad authority to remove executive branch personnel and suggested Curlee’s public criticism showed she did not belong in government service.
Curlee also criticized the administration’s handling of intelligence surrounding Iran and said officials have increasingly been punished for presenting information the president does not want to hear.
Her broader warning is that losing career analysts, briefers and regional specialists could create long-term gaps that cannot quickly be replaced.
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