In a bold move, Tulsi Gabbard, the newly appointed Director of National Intelligence (DNI), announced the firing of more than 100 U.S. intelligence officers from various agencies, citing inappropriate use of internal government chatrooms. These chatrooms, hosted on the NSA’s highly secure Intelink platform, were meant for professionals to discuss sensitive national security topics. However, according to Gabbard, many participants engaged in what she described as “horrific behavior,” including sexually explicit discussions on topics such as gender-affirming surgery, sexual pleasure post-transition, and other private matters.
Gabbard, who took office on February 12, made this announcement during an interview on Fox News, where she stated that the officers had violated trust and breached professional standards. She did not provide specifics on the content discussed but condemned the misuse of official platforms for private and sexual conversations. The employees’ security clearances were revoked, and their dismissals were labeled as necessary to restore accountability within the intelligence community.
The controversy began with an investigative report by conservative journalist Christopher Rufo, who exposed chat logs containing explicit discussions among NSA employees. Rufo’s article, published in City Journal, highlighted conversations from LGBTQ+ resource groups within the NSA, with topics ranging from “kink” and “polyamory” to detailed accounts of personal gender-affirming surgeries. Rufo quoted an anonymous NSA press official noting that sharing non-mission-related material on Intelink was against NSA policy, warranting disciplinary action.
The NSA responded to these reports by acknowledging “inappropriate discussions” and confirming ongoing investigations. However, they emphasized that the actions of a small group of individuals did not reflect the wider intelligence community.
Gabbard framed these firings as part of a broader initiative to address longstanding issues within U.S. intelligence agencies, which she argued had operated with insufficient oversight for decades. She expressed her intention to “root out corruption” and refocus intelligence efforts on their core mission—serving the American people.
The termination of these officers aligns with a broader effort under the Trump administration to reduce the influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within government agencies. Gabbard’s office and the CIA have been actively moving to remove employees involved in DEI initiatives, despite legal challenges from some of the dismissed personnel. Several officers have filed lawsuits, claiming their firings violated federal workplace laws protecting against discrimination.
Gabbard’s actions, though controversial, reflect a wider push for reform within intelligence agencies, aiming to address both issues of oversight and political bias that have plagued the sector in recent years.
The full scope of the investigation remains to be seen, as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has set a deadline for identifying all involved personnel by the end of the week. Whether these actions will restore public trust in the intelligence community or spark further debate over privacy and political influence remains uncertain.
Tulsi Gabbard Picture at Schofield Barracks by Defense Visual Information Distribution Service
