Summary

U.S. intelligence has found that Russia and China are actively recruiting recently fired or at-risk federal employees, particularly those with security clearances.

The effort coincides with the Trump administration’s mass layoffs in the federal workforce. Foreign intelligence officers are using LinkedIn and other platforms to identify potential recruits.

Officials warn this could expose critical U.S. secrets, but the administration has dismissed concerns.

Meanwhile, internal layoffs at the CIA and Pentagon may further increase vulnerabilities, with some terminated employees already challenging their dismissals in court.

  • AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.worldEnglish
    51·
    18 hours ago

    Career officials at the CIA have been quietly discussing that risk and how to mitigate it in the recent weeks, current and former intelligence officials previously told CNN. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard earlier this week suggested that those discussions represented a “threat” made by disloyal government employees — rather than a clinical warning of the potential risks posed by President Donald Trump’s aggressive cost-cutting strategy — and that those involved should be penalized.

    She wants to penalize people for trying to mitigate the risks caused by needlessly penalizing people?

    • metaldream@sopuli.xyz
      1·
      3 hours ago

      She’s a fascist collaborator, of course she’s covering for the Russians. She WANTS us to be vulnerable. And when Russia takes advantage of those vulnerabilities, she’ll turn it on Ukraine, the EU, Canada, and the liberal “enemies within”.

      We’re going to see some shit happening in the US that’s never happened before. People are not ready for how far this regime is going to take us. And frankly, I have no faith that Americans as a people can or even want to do anything to stop it.

    • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
      28·
      18 hours ago

      Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard

      This still boggles the mind, given the long-standing suspicions around her connections to Russia.

    • SinningStromgald@lemmy.world
      10·
      16 hours ago

      She just showed the world how horrible at her job she will be. Our intelligence services will take decades, or longer, to recover. Assuming this nightmare ever ends.