Ratcliffe shrugs off concerns about potential threat of fired agents armed with CIA's secrets: source

CIA Director John Ratcliffe is not sold on concerns that firing CIA officers would send them into the arms of Russia and China, according to a source.

"There’s a general sense that it’s more of a justification for maintaining the status quo, but if potential traitors are there, it’s hard to argue the solution is for them to continue maintaining access to the nation’s secrets."

CNN reported on Monday that mass firings and buyouts offered to agents were under discussion among CIA "top leadership," who were apparently worried that losing their jobs might prompt disgruntled former officers to take their classified intelligence to foreign intelligence services like those of China or Russia.