Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has announced a sweeping crackdown on unauthorized leaks within the intelligence community, warning that politically motivated disclosures will no longer be tolerated.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who has since aligned with the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump, was sworn into her DNI role last month. On Friday, she issued a strong statement on X (formerly Twitter), making it clear that her office is taking aggressive action to root out leakers.
“Our nation’s Intelligence Community must be focused on our national security mission. Politically motivated leaks undermine our national security and the trust of the American people and will not be tolerated,” Gabbard declared in a social media thread.
She further emphasized that leaks have become a routine issue within the intelligence community, often going unchecked and without consequences—until now.
“That ends now. We know of and are aggressively pursuing recent leakers from within the Intelligence Community and will hold them accountable,” she added.
Targeting Specific Leaks
As part of her crackdown, Gabbard named several recent examples of intelligence leaks her office is investigating:
- A leaker sharing classified information with the Huffington Post
- A leaker within the intelligence community sharing Israel-Iran details with The Washington Post
- A leaker providing sensitive U.S.-Russia intelligence to NBC News
- A leaker disclosing National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) actions to The Record
Gabbard concluded her statement with a firm warning that unauthorized disclosures of classified material are serious violations of federal law and will be met with legal consequences.
“Leaking classified intelligence is a breach of law and will be handled accordingly,” she said.
Support from Republican Lawmakers
Several high-profile Republicans quickly voiced support for Gabbard’s initiative.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) praised the move, calling it “another promise made and promise kept.” Meanwhile, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) urged a return to an intelligence community that operates within constitutional limits, stating, “Restore an intelligence community that fits within the Constitution and stays focused on America’s national security.”
A Shift in Intelligence Community Oversight
Gabbard’s strong stance on leaks signals a significant shift in the oversight and internal discipline of the U.S. intelligence community. Under previous administrations, unauthorized disclosures often sparked controversy but rarely led to public crackdowns. Now, under the Trump administration’s renewed focus on national security integrity, Gabbard appears committed to enforcing strict accountability measures.
With an aggressive pursuit of internal leaks already underway, it remains to be seen how far-reaching the consequences will be for those who violate security protocols.