WSJ: The CIA has offered all its employees to resign

The US Central Intelligence Agency has offered all its employees to quit and receive compensation, the Wall Street Journal newspaper reported, citing officials.

At the end of January, NBC reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump is offering an eight-month severance package for civil servants who agree to resign of their own accord, it is expected that up to 10% of federal officials will accept the offer, saving billions of dollars to the government. A senior administration official told the TV channel that 5-10% of federal employees are expected to be fired.

"The CIA offered severance pay to all its employees on Tuesday (local time), which, according to officials, represents an attempt to bring the agency in line with President Trump's priorities, including the fight against drug cartels," the newspaper reports.

According to the newspaper, the CIA apparently became the first intelligence agency to inform its employees that they could quit and receive an amount roughly equal to an eight-month salary and benefits as part of Trump's efforts to reduce the federal government.

The adviser to CIA Director John Ratcliffe said that the agency is also suspending the recruitment of applicants who have already received a conditional offer, the newspaper points out. The adviser added that some such proposals are likely to be canceled if candidates do not have the right experience for the new goals of the department, which include countering China.