Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is making it clear: the days of unchecked deep-state sabotage from within the intelligence community are over. This week, Gabbard announced multiple criminal referrals targeting intelligence officials who leaked classified information in an effort to undermine President Donald Trump’s foreign policy agenda.
“These deep-state criminals leaked classified information for partisan political purposes,” Gabbard said. “I look forward to working with the DOJ and FBI to investigate, terminate, and prosecute these criminals.”
According to the Director of National Intelligence, two criminal referrals have already been sent to the Department of Justice, with a third on the way. One of the most serious leaks reportedly involved sensitive intelligence related to Israel and Iran that was deliberately passed to The Washington Post—information that not only compromised foreign policy but may have endangered diplomatic relationships.
Since taking over as Director of National Intelligence in February, Gabbard has launched a sweeping crackdown on politically motivated leaks across the 18-agency intelligence network. Her focus: eliminate the shadowy network of entrenched bureaucrats and anti-Trump operatives embedded within agencies like the CIA, NSA, and FBI.
Gabbard, a former Democrat congresswoman turned independent, has rapidly become a trusted voice in the America First movement and a fierce advocate for transparency, accountability, and national security. Her no-nonsense leadership has already shaken the intelligence community and earned praise from conservatives who’ve long demanded a purge of politically weaponized operatives inside government.
In March, Gabbard initiated a full-scale review of multiple intelligence leaks to legacy media outlets including The Washington Post, NBC News, HuffPost, and others—many of which involved classified details related to U.S.-Russia relations, the Middle East, and internal White House policy deliberations. These disclosures, Gabbard emphasized, were not whistleblower reports—they were criminal acts designed to damage the Commander in Chief.
The backlash from the left has been swift. Democrat Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, slammed Gabbard’s creation of a task force to investigate leaks. Warner called the initiative a “witch hunt” and complained about the lack of briefings from her office—an apparent departure from the overly cozy relationships between Congress and past intelligence directors.
But Gabbard isn’t apologizing. “Politicization of our intelligence and leaking classified information puts our national security at risk and must end,” she said. “Those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Her actions align closely with President Trump’s broader effort to clean house at America’s intelligence agencies and remove those who have acted as partisans instead of professionals. Trump has repeatedly blasted rogue intelligence actors for manipulating information, launching unauthorized investigations, and leaking classified material to damage his presidency.
With criminal referrals now in motion, the spotlight turns to the Department of Justice and the FBI. Will they follow through on prosecuting those who used classified intel to engage in political warfare?
One thing is certain: under Tulsi Gabbard’s watch, the deep state is officially on notice.