Tulsi Gabbard Slams CNN for ‘Threatening’ Trump Admin. on Behalf of Fired CIA Agents

By Staff, Agencies

Newly appointed US Director of National Intelligence [DNI] Tulsi Gabbard has accused CNN of acting as a “propaganda arm” for disloyal intelligence officials.

She criticized the network’s report suggesting that dismissed CIA agents might turn to foreign intelligence services, calling it an “indirect threat” against President Donald Trump’s administration.

As part of Trump’s restructuring of the federal government, the CIA has recently offered buyouts to some agents. CNN, citing anonymous sources, reported that some senior officers were discussing the risks of these dismissals, warning they could create disgruntled former employees with sensitive knowledge.

Speaking to Fox News, Gabbard questioned the logic behind such threats, stating that these individuals are revealing their own disloyalty. She emphasized the need to remove such figures so that committed intelligence professionals can focus on their mission. Gabbard also claimed that many within the intelligence community privately support Trump’s efforts to overhaul the agencies.

A former congresswoman and military veteran, Gabbard gained national attention in 2016 when she resigned as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee to endorse Bernie Sanders.

She later ran for president in 2020 on an anti-interventionist platform, clashing with establishment Democrats before leaving the party in 2022. After two years as an independent, she joined the Republican Party and endorsed Trump in 2024.

Her nomination as DNI in November drew criticism from establishment figures, with some branding her a security risk.

However, she was confirmed by a 52-48 Senate vote, with only Republican Senator Mitch McConnell opposing her. In a separate confirmation, the Senate also approved Trump nominee John Ratcliffe as CIA director in January.

Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman and Trump’s ex-DNI, is known for his skepticism toward intelligence agencies and his criticism of investigations into alleged Russian election interference.