Democratic lawmakers have accused Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of unlawfully interfering with the independence of intelligence oversight. Their allegations center on controversial personnel decisions that could threaten the autonomy of the Intelligence Community Inspector General's office.
According to The Washington Post, Gabbard has placed a senior adviser in the inspector general's office and fired its acting general counsel, actions that former officials claim may compromise the integrity of independent oversight of America's intelligence agencies.
The dispute escalated Monday when top Democratic legislators sent Gabbard a letter demanding she "immediately cease your illegal interference into the ICIG's operations." The letter emphasized that "the ICIG must remain independent of political influence" and promised continued opposition to any attempts to "interfere with its work, or silence its conclusions."
The confrontation involves several high-ranking Democrats ,including Senator Mark Warner of Virginia and Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, who lead minority Democrats on congressional intelligence committees. They were joined by Senator Chris Coons of Delaware and Representative Betty McCollum of Minnesota, ranking Democrats on defense appropriations subcommittees.
Gabbard's spokesperson, Olivia Coleman, had previously accused the acting inspector general Tamara Johnson and her staff of politicization. Coleman claimed the office failed to fulfill "the responsibility to be an independent organization unbeholden to partisan interests" and had "bucked President Trump's directives" regarding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The dispute centers on the Intelligence Community Inspector General's office, established by Congress in 2010 to provide independent oversight of America's 18 intelligence agencies. President Trump has repeatedly demonstrated hostility toward inspectors general, firing one of Johnson's predecessors in 2019 and dismissing most Cabinet agency inspectors general this January.
Democratic lawmakers revealed they had received communication from Johnson directly contradicting Gabbard's explanation for the personnel changes. Johnson disputed Gabbard's claim that she had agreed to fire acting general counsel Stephanie McDonald.
The lawmakers' letter cited Johnson describing Gabbard's actions as "contrary to law" and "never sufficiently explained." They emphasized that the 2010 legislation establishing the inspector general's office grants the ICIG "final approval" on personnel decisions specifically to safeguard its independence.
On May 9, Gabbard installed Dennis Kirk, one of her senior advisers, in the inspector general's office. Kirk previously served in the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's first term and co-authored a section of the conservative Project 2025 blueprint focused on federal workforce reforms.
The controversial dismissal of McDonald reportedly occurred just 48 hours after she inquired about the legal justification for Kirk's appointment. This timing has raised concerns about potential retaliation against staff questioning Gabbard's actions.
Democratic legislators have requested Gabbard provide legal justification for her personnel decisions, along with all correspondence with the inspector general's office since February 12. They also demanded the names of all officials involved in meetings regarding Kirk's appointment and McDonald's firing.
As minority party members in both chambers of Congress, Democrats may face challenges compelling Gabbard to comply with their requests. The political dynamics limit their institutional leverage in forcing disclosure or changes to her actions.
Senator Warner has previously called for Gabbard's resignation over separate allegations involving her top aide, Joe Kent. Warner accused Kent of pressuring intelligence analysts to modify a report about Venezuela's government and the Tren de Aragua cartel.
The original intelligence assessment concluded Venezuela's government did not direct the cartel's activities. This conclusion undermined President Trump's justification for deporting suspected gang members without due process under the Alien Enemies Act.
Warner expressed his views bluntly on the "SpyTalk" podcast, stating: "It's inexcusable. I think that Gabbard should resign." This call represents one of the most direct challenges to Gabbard's leadership from a senior Democratic legislator.
