Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, is purging entrenched bureaucrats to restore integrity to America’s intelligence community.
On Tuesday, Gabbard fired Mike Collins, acting chair of the National Intelligence Council, and his deputy, Maria Langan-Riekhof, for alleged anti-Trump bias, as Fox News reports, and her decisive actions signal a broader crackdown on politicized intelligence and leaks threatening national security.
Gabbard’s dismissals target officials accused of undermining the Trump administration. Whistleblowers claim Collins and Langan-Riekhof harbored radical opposition to Trump, with Collins facing complaints of deliberate bias. Gabbard also relocated the National Intelligence Council from the CIA to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to shield it from political influence.
Collins, closely tied to former CIA deputy director Michael Morrell, was implicated in efforts to discredit Hunter Biden’s laptop in 2020. Morrell helped craft a letter suggesting the laptop bore signs of Russian disinformation. This history fuels concerns about Collins’ impartiality in intelligence assessments.
Langan-Riekhof, meanwhile, championed diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which critics argue distracted from core intelligence priorities. Whistleblowers allege her strong anti-Trump stance compromised her objectivity. Gabbard’s firings aim to eliminate such ideological sway within the intelligence community.
In April, Gabbard launched the Director’s Initiative Group (DIG) to probe politicization and unauthorized leaks. This task force also seeks to declassify information in the public’s interest. Her focus on accountability reflects a commitment to traditional American values of transparency and security.
Gabbard has referred three intelligence professionals to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution over alleged leaks. These individuals reportedly shared classified information with the Washington Post and the New York Times. Such breaches, she argues, endanger the nation’s safety.
“Politicization of our intelligence and leaking classified information puts our nation’s security at risk and must end,” Gabbard told Fox News Digital in April. Her resolve to hold leakers accountable underscores her mission to rebuild trust in the intelligence community. She insists that those responsible will face the full weight of the law.
“Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” she added. The ODNI is currently investigating 12 other officials for similar violations. These efforts target career bureaucrats, often entrenched in Washington’s political machinery. In early May, the ODNI dismissed two CIA detainees for leaking details about the Tren de Aragua gang to the New York Times.
A CIA official noted that the National Intelligence Council has always been a DNI component. “It makes sense for them to be physically located at DNI,” the official told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. Gabbard’s relocation of the council aligns with this structural logic.
Gabbard has also addressed other internal issues, such as employees involved in inappropriate National Security Agency chatrooms. Her actions demonstrate a comprehensive effort to clean house. She remains steadfast in confronting misconduct at all levels.
Delays in confirming nominees for key ODNI roles, including principal deputy director and general counsel, complicate Gabbard’s reforms. These vacancies hinder efforts to fully implement her vision. Yet her determination to root out bias persists.
“It takes time to weed them out and fire them,” one official told Fox News Digital. This sentiment captures the challenge of dismantling entrenched networks within the intelligence community. Gabbard’s methodical approach seeks to overcome such resistance.
The director's leadership prioritizes national sovereignty and the protection of classified information. By targeting leakers and biased officials, she aims to restore the intelligence community’s focus on objective analysis. This mission resonates with working-class Americans who value security and accountability.
Gabbard’s actions reflect a broader push to reject elitist influences and progressive ideologies that critics say have infiltrated federal institutions. Her reforms champion faith in a system that serves the nation, not political agendas. As she continues her purge, the intelligence community faces a pivotal moment of reckoning.
