DNI Gabbard Denies Withholding Whistleblower Complaint as Democrats Raise Questions

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard strongly refuted allegations on Saturday that she deliberately concealed a whistleblower complaint filed against her last May, calling accusations from Democratic lawmakers “blatant lies.”

The controversy centers on a highly classified complaint filed by a U.S. intelligence official that reportedly remained secured in a safe for nearly eight months before being shared with congressional oversight committees.

“I am not now, nor have I ever been, in possession or control of the Whistleblower’s complaint, so I obviously could not have ‘hidden’ it in a safe,” Gabbard wrote in a detailed statement posted to social media platform X. “Biden-era IC Inspector General Tamara Johnson was in possession of and responsible for securing the complaint for months.”

According to initial reporting by the Wall Street Journal, the complaint contains allegations against Gabbard that one U.S. official described as potentially causing “grave damage to national security” if disclosed. The specific nature of the allegations remains classified and has not been publicly revealed.

The timing of the complaint’s transmission to Congress has become a flashpoint between Gabbard and Democrats on intelligence oversight committees. Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia), the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been particularly vocal in his criticism.

“The law is clear,” Warner stated Thursday, arguing that whistleblower complaints must be sent to Congress within 21 days of filing. “I think it was an effort to try to bury this whistleblower complaint.”

Gabbard countered this assertion directly in her statement, claiming that the 21-day requirement only applies to complaints determined to be both urgent and credible by the Inspector General. “That was NOT the case here,” she emphasized.

An inspector general representative has confirmed that some allegations in the complaint were determined not to be credible, while others remain under evaluation, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In her defense, Gabbard outlined a timeline suggesting proper procedures were followed. She stated that she first saw the complaint only when she “had to review it to provide guidance on how it should be securely shared with Congress” and took “immediate action” after being notified by IC Inspector General Chris Fox on December 4 that security guidance was needed.

The political implications of the dispute are significant, with Republicans on intelligence committees largely backing Gabbard. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) wrote on X: “I have reviewed this ‘whistleblower’ complaint and the inspector general handling of it. I agree with both inspectors general who have evaluated the matter: the complaint is not credible.”

Cotton characterized the complaint as “just another effort by the president’s critics in and out of government to undermine policies that they don’t like,” rather than credible allegations of wrongdoing.

Warner’s office responded sharply to Gabbard’s statement, telling Fox News Digital that her post was an “inaccurate attack that’s entirely on brand for someone who has already and repeatedly proven she’s unqualified to serve as DNI.”

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the Biden administration’s intelligence community and Trump appointees. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and presidential candidate who later left the Democratic Party, has been a controversial figure in her role as DNI under the Trump administration.

The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of Gabbard’s activities, including her recent presence at a Georgia election center that has drawn questions from Democratic lawmakers about her role in the administration’s election security efforts.