The current U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, has reportedly reopened a federal inquiry into the handling and potential manipulation of intelligence in the last years of the Obama administration, specifically in relation to the 2016 presidential election.
Gabbard named several high-profile Obama-era figures, including:
- Barack Obama (former President)
- John Brennan (former CIA Director)
- James Clapper (former Director of National Intelligence)
- John Kerry (former Secretary of State)
- Andrew McCabe (former FBI Deputy Director)
Gabbard alleges that these officials:
- Politicized intelligence to damage Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign
- Downplayed or altered intelligence reports about foreign interference (specifically Russian involvement)
- May have coordinated actions with the intent of interfering in a domestic election
In Gabbard’s own words (as cited by The Guardian and YouTube interview clips):
“The truth needs to come out. We can’t allow a two-tiered justice system where some people are untouchable simply because of their power.”
“If Barack Obama is arrested, it might cause unrest… but accountability must not be sacrificed for comfort.”
Gabbard has submitted a set of documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ), which she claims contain, Internal memos, Intelligence briefs, and testimonies suggesting deliberate distortion of facts.
However, no formal charges have been announced as of now.
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Citing enduring worries about a “weaponized intelligence community,” Republican leaders have voiced support for the inquiry.
Obama supporters and Democratic politicians have criticized the action as political theater and charged Gabbard with leveraging her position for partisan gain.
This action rekindles the intensely contentious discussion about:
- The beginnings of the Trump campaign’s Russia probe.
- if Russian meddling was a real concern for intelligence or if it was being used as a political tool.
Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and military officer serving since 2025 as the eighth director of national intelligence (DNI). She has held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2021, and previously served as U.S. representative for Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. A former Democrat, she joined the Republican Party in 2024. Gabbard was the youngest state legislator in Hawaii from 2002 to 2004.
