On Wednesday, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, announced that she has recommended criminal charges related to two leaks of classified information. In a post on X, she emphasized the dangers of politicizing intelligence and leaking sensitive information, stating that it jeopardizes national security. Gabbard vowed to hold those responsible accountable.
She revealed that she referred two leaks to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for investigation and mentioned that a third referral is forthcoming. This includes a recent leak concerning Iran and Israel that was reported by The Washington Post. Gabbard had previously expressed her concerns about leaks to the media back in March, indicating that she was already looking into the issue.
While Gabbard did not disclose the names of those involved in the referrals, she criticized the leaks, suggesting they were made for political reasons to undermine the President’s agenda. She expressed her eagerness to work with the DOJ and the FBI to investigate and prosecute those responsible.
Gabbard, a combat veteran and former member of Congress from Hawaii, was confirmed as the Director of National Intelligence in February by a narrow Senate vote. Since then, she has been vocal about her mission to track down leakers within the U.S. Intelligence Community, which includes various agencies like the CIA and NSA.
She stated that politically motivated leaks threaten national security and erode public trust. Gabbard has been clear that any unauthorized release of classified information is illegal and will be treated seriously. In her earlier communications, she pointed out several instances of leaks that had come to light, including information shared with major news outlets like NBC and HuffPost.
The announcement of her probe came amid reports about a breach involving National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was linked to unauthorized discussions about military actions in Yemen. Although the Trump administration denied any classified information was involved, the incident raised concerns about security protocols.
As Gabbard moves forward with her investigations, the focus will be on ensuring accountability within the Intelligence Community, a task she sees as essential for maintaining the integrity of national security.