Republican leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees have dismissed a top-secret whistleblower complaint accusing DNI Tulsi Gabbard of withholding classified information for political reasons. Democrats say Gabbard’s office waited eight months to refer the complaint to Congress, well beyond the 21-day period the law generally requires. The intelligence community inspector general’s memo found the partisan-distribution claim not credible and could not assess a separate allegation about the general counsel’s handling of a possible crime. Copies were delivered to the Gang of Eight this week, and the whistleblower’s attorney says there was no justification for the delay.
Republican Intelligence Chiefs Dismiss Top-Secret Complaint Against DNI Tulsi Gabbard; Democrats Question Eight‑Month Delay
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, left, and FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey, enter a command vehicle as the FBI takes Fulton County 2020 Election ballots, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Union City, Ga., near Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
WASHINGTON — Republican leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees have dismissed a top-secret whistleblower complaint from an anonymous government official that accused Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of withholding classified material for political reasons. Their responses make it unlikely the matter will advance, but Democrats continue to press for answers about why Gabbard’s office waited eight months before forwarding the complaint to Congress.
What the Complaint Alleged
The classified complaint accused Gabbard of selectively withholding classified information for political ends and alleged the Office of the Director of National Intelligence general counsel failed to report a potential crime to the Department of Justice. Lawmakers who reviewed the document this week said it was heavily redacted; the memo circulated by the intelligence community’s inspector general provides few public specifics.
Republican Reaction
Sen. Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on X that he agreed with an earlier inspector general’s assessment that the complaint did not appear credible and called it politically motivated. Rep. Rick Crawford, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, described the filing as an effort to smear Gabbard’s reputation.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, speaks out against President Donald Trump's investigation of the 2020 presidential election ballots in Georgia, and the involvement of Trump ally Tulsi Gabbard, director of National Intelligence, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“To be frank, it seems like just another effort by the president’s critics in and out of government to undermine policies that they don’t like,”
Democratic Concerns
Democrats have focused on the timeline. Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted that law generally requires such reports to be transmitted to Congress within 21 days and said the eight-month delay raises questions about whether the complaint was intentionally buried. Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he will continue to review the matter.
Inspector General Review
According to a memo from Christopher Fox, the current intelligence community inspector general, former IG Tamara Johnson concluded last June that the allegation Gabbard distributed classified information on a partisan basis did not appear credible. Johnson was "unable to assess the apparent credibility" of the claim concerning the general counsel’s office. Fox wrote that he personally would have treated the complaint as non-urgent but deferred to his predecessor and therefore forwarded it to lawmakers.
Where It Stands Now
Physical copies of the top-secret complaint were hand-delivered this week to the so-called "Gang of Eight" — the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate plus the top four members of each chamber’s intelligence committee. Andrew Bakaj, attorney for the whistleblower, said he cannot discuss details or the author’s identity but argued there was no justification for withholding the complaint from Congress since last spring.
Background: Gabbard coordinates the work of the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies. She has also drawn attention recently for being present when the FBI executed a search warrant at election offices in Georgia connected to former President Donald Trump’s disproven claims of fraud in the 2020 election.
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