{"slug": "spy-chiefs-in-revolt-over-trump-demand-for-master-list-of-every-secret-agent-one", "title": "Spy chiefs in revolt over Trump demand for master list of every secret agent - fearing one catastrophic risk", "summary": "CIA and FBI leaders are resisting a Trump administration demand to compile a master list of every US spy and potential recruit, fearing a single leak could compromise operations and endanger agents. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Trump loyalist Bill Pulte, has spearheaded the effort, but senior counterintelligence officials have refused to hand over their lists over security concerns.", "body_md": "# Spy chiefs in revolt over Trump demand for master list of every secret agent — fearing one catastrophic risk\n\n**SPECIAL OFFER: Sign up to our weekly US politics newsletter and get**[three FREE months of DailyMail+ HERE](https://link.news.dailymail.co.uk/join/dc-insider-sign-up?utm_source=dailymail.com&utm_medium=organic_editorial&utm_campaign=conversion_newsletter&utm_term=dc-insider-footer&utm_budgetpot=organic)**See more Daily Mail on Google -**[save us as a Preferred Source](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=dailymail.com)\n\nCIA and [FBI](/news/fbi/index.html) leaders are resisting [Donald Trump](/news/donald_trump/index.html)'s mandate that intelligence agencies compile a master list of every US spy and potential recruit, amid fears it endanger their own agents.\n\nThe Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), led by Trump loyalist Bill Pulte, has in recent months spearheaded the grand spy list effort. ODNI was created in the aftermath of [9/11](/news/9-11-attacks/index.html) to foster better communication among intel agencies.\n\nTrump wants the master list because officials claim it could used to better track foreign intelligence threats and avoid inadvertent conflicts when different agencies are working the same targets, according to the [New York Times](/news/new-york-times/index.html).\n\nThe effort has been largely unsuccessful, as senior counterintelligence officials have refused to hand over their master lists amid disagreements over how such a database would be secured and maintained.\n\nFor the FBI, such a master list of espionage targets would include those the bureau wants to investigate and potentially arrest down the line.\n\nFor the CIA, it would include a significant number of potential individuals the agency hopes to recruit as assets.\n\nSome current and former intelligence officials fear that putting identifying details on the most sensitive cases could fatally compromise long-running investigations and operations via a single leak.\n\nThe identities of these targets are closely guarded national security secrets, insulated from most personnel within their own agencies.\n\nTrump is demanding leaders at the FBI and CIA give him a list of every secret agent and asset\n\nThe effort has been largely unsuccessful, as senior counterintelligence officials have refused to hand over their master lists amid disagreements over how such a database would be secured and maintained\n\nBill Pulte, Trump's new National Intelligence director, has no prior experience dealing with national security\n\nThe Daily Mail has contacted ODNI for comment.\n\nThe fight over the master list highlights the strained relationship between ODNI and the FBI and CIA following the departure of former ODNI director Tulsi Gabbard.\n\nPulte, a political appointee with no prior experience in national security, has continued pursuing the President's agenda by slashing the office's workforce and investigating allegations of election fraud during 2020.\n\nOutrage over Pulte's appointment as acting director despite his lack of experience has also fueled fears among agency officials about how ODNI would handle their most closely guarded secrets.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/spy-chiefs-in-revolt-over-trump-demand-for-master-list-of-every-secret-agent-one", "canonical_source": "https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15941367/Spy-chiefs-revolt-Trump-demand-master-list-secret-agent-fearing-one-catastrophic-risk.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490", "published_at": "2026-06-30 12:53:02+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-30 12:56:24.826420+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy"], "entities": ["CIA", "FBI", "Donald Trump", "Office of the Director of National Intelligence", "Bill Pulte", "New York Times", "Tulsi Gabbard"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/spy-chiefs-in-revolt-over-trump-demand-for-master-list-of-every-secret-agent-one", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/spy-chiefs-in-revolt-over-trump-demand-for-master-list-of-every-secret-agent-one.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/spy-chiefs-in-revolt-over-trump-demand-for-master-list-of-every-secret-agent-one.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/spy-chiefs-in-revolt-over-trump-demand-for-master-list-of-every-secret-agent-one.jsonld"}}