Richard Grenell, the recently-appointed acting director of national intelligence (DNI), has initiated a temporary hiring freeze in the agency, several media outlets reported Thursday.

"Since assuming his new role on Feb. 20, Acting DNI Grenell and the [Office of the Director of National Intelligence] ODNI leadership team have embarked on a careful review of these studies completed prior to his arrival, with an eye to implementing key recommendations," DNI spokeswoman Amanda Schoch told CNN and the New York Times.

"While the review is underway, Ambassador Grenell has asked for a temporary, short-term pause in external hiring. A similar hiring pause was implemented in 2018 as part of ODNI's first Transformation effort," she continued.

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The spokeswoman clarified that the initiative is not an effort to “purge” the agency, as some lawmakers have suggested.

The move comes as the Trump administration has ousted intelligence officials who testified during the House impeachment hearings and as President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE appointed Rep. John Ratcliffe John Lee RatcliffeOvernight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine, masks MORE (R-Texas) to the DNI post on a permanent basis, though he still awaits Senate confirmation.

Scotch said that several studies the agency has done have shown “opportunities to refocus or transfer activities at ODNI to eliminate duplication of work with other agencies."

"Acting DNI Grenell has emphasized with ODNI leadership this review is not an effort to purge, as some have erroneously suggested. The goal is to make sure scarce Intelligence Community resources are used in the best way possible," Schoch added, noting that further details will be provided after the specifics of the review are finalized.

Donald Trump Jr. tweeted the New York Times story Thursday, praising Grenell for the move.

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“4 internal studies in the past 2 years have said the DNI needs to be reformed. No one has done it. @RichardGrenell is now starting to do it,” he tweeted.

4 internal studies in the past 2 years have said the DNI needs to be reformed. No one has done it. @RichardGrenell is now starting to do it. https://t.co/9BazOweALJ — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 12, 2020

The last hiring freeze that occurred at ODNI was in 2018, under Trump’s first DNI appointee, Dan Coats Daniel (Dan) Ray CoatsFBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Former Intel chief had 'deep suspicions' that Putin 'had something on Trump': book MORE.

Schoch did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Hill.