Gabbard is rooting out the corruption in the nation’s capital. And there’s plenty to go around.
Now Tulsi Gabbard just laid down the law on these D.C. Swamp monsters.
Gabbard Revokes Security Clearances of 37 Intelligence Officials Over 2016 Russia Assessment
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced on August 18, 2025, the revocation of security clearances for 37 current and former intelligence officials, citing their alleged politicization and manipulation of intelligence, particularly in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The move, detailed in an Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) memo obtained by The New York Post, targets individuals involved in the Obama-ordered assessment, which Gabbard claims was part of a “treasonous conspiracy” to undermine President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory.
Revocation Details
The ODNI memo states, “The President has directed that, effective immediately, the security clearances of the 37 individuals are revoked,” noting their failure to safeguard classified information, adhere to tradecraft standards, or avoid politicizing intelligence.
Affected officials include former Principal Deputy DNI Stephanie O’Sullivan and Vinh Nguyen, both linked to the 2017 ICA, which concluded Russia sought to influence the 2016 election in favor of Trump.
Other targeted individuals, such as Samantha Vinograd, Andrew P. Miller, Loren DeJonge Schulman, and Beth Sanner, held roles in the Obama or Biden administrations, with some signing statements critical of Trump, including a 2019 letter supporting his first impeachment inquiry.
Gabbard’s Claims and Declassified Documents
Gabbard, in a statement posted on X, emphasized, “Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right. Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold.”
She has prioritized depoliticizing the intelligence community, arguing that the 2017 ICA, ordered by President Barack Obama in December 2016, relied on flawed sources, including the debunked Steele dossier, and ignored evidence that Russia did not alter vote tallies. Declassified documents released by Gabbard in July 2025, including a 44-page House Intelligence Committee report from 2020, allege that Obama officials, including James Clapper, John Brennan, and James Comey, manipulated the assessment to emphasize Russian support for Trump.
Context of the 2017 ICA
The 2017 ICA, produced by the CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS, concluded that Russia conducted an influence campaign to aid Trump’s election chances, a finding supported by a 2020 Senate Intelligence Committee report but contested by Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe’s recent review criticized the ICA’s “chaotic” and “atypical” process, suggesting political motives.
Gabbard’s declassified records highlight a December 2016 directive from Obama to investigate “Russia Election Meddling,” despite earlier assessments finding no evidence of vote tampering through cyberattacks.
Opposition and Concerns
Democrats and former intelligence officials have pushed back. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) called Gabbard’s accusations “baseless,” citing the Senate’s bipartisan confirmation of Russian interference. Susan Miller, a former CIA officer involved in the 2017 ICA, told NBC News that Gabbard’s claims misrepresent credible intelligence, stating, “We definitely had the intel to show with high probability that the Russians’ specific goal was to get Trump elected.”
Obama’s spokesperson, Patrick Rodenbush, dismissed the allegations as “ridiculous” and a distraction, noting that no evidence suggests votes were altered. Concerns have been raised about Gabbard’s declassification process, with critics like Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) warning that unredacted releases could compromise sources and damage intelligence-sharing alliances.
