A whistleblower has alleged that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard blocked the National Security Agency (NSA) from distributing a highly classified intelligence report about a phone call involving a person close to Donald Trump. The complaint, filed in April and May, claims Gabbard instead delivered a paper copy to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
According to whistleblower attorney Andrew Bakaj, the NSA intercepted a call between two foreign intelligence members discussing an individual close to the former president. Bakaj initially stated the call involved a person close to Trump, but later clarified it was between two foreign intelligence members about someone close to the Trump White House. The individual is not believed to be a government official or special employee.
Bakaj said Gabbard instructed the NSA not to publish the report and to send the details directly to her office after meeting Wiles. The whistleblower contacted the Inspector General on 17 April and filed a formal complaint on 21 May. The Inspector General dismissed the complaint on 6 June, stating it could not determine if the allegations were credible.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) denied the claims, saying Gabbard acted within her legal authority and that previous inspectors general had found the allegations baseless. The ODNI also noted that the whistleblower could only take concerns to Congress after receiving guidance due to the sensitive nature of the complaint.
Lawmakers have raised concerns about the independence of the watchdog office after Gabbard assigned one of her advisers, Dennis Kirk, to work there on 9 May. The ODNI issued its first public acknowledgment of the complaint on Tuesday, following a Wall Street Journal report.
