Tulsi Gabbard Revokes Security Clearances of 37 Intelligence Officials

Tue Oct 21 2025 03:57:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, under President Trump’s orders, moves to revoke security clearances of numerous officials, citing politicization of intelligence.

Tulsi Gabbard has revoked security clearances for 37 current and former US intelligence officials, claiming they abused their positions for political gain. The decision has sparked controversy and accusations of political distraction, particularly among Democrats.

In a bold and controversial move, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, has revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former US intelligence officials. This action, purportedly ordered by President Donald Trump, stems from allegations that these officials have politicized intelligence for personal or partisan gain.

Gabbard made the announcement via a memo shared on social media platforms, outlining the order directed at heads of various national security agencies to immediately strip the clearances. The list includes individuals who previously served under Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. However, Gabbard did not provide specific evidence to substantiate the claims in her memo.

Security clearances are critical for gaining access to sensitive government information, and some former officials retain these clearances to advise their successors or for private sector jobs, particularly in defense and aerospace sectors. Despite Gabbard's sweeping assertions, it remains ambiguous if all individuals on the list currently hold active clearances.

In her memo, Gabbard articulated that the revocations were a response to the officials’ purported abuse of public trust through the politicization of intelligence, unauthorized leaking of classified information, and serious breaches of tradecraft standards. "Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right," Gabbard wrote on X. "Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold."

This is not a new tactic for the Trump administration, which has a history of revoking security clearances for intelligence officials, including those tied to investigations concerning the January 6 Capitol riot. In particular, Gabbard has been critical of intelligence assessments made under Obama regarding Russian interference in the 2016 elections, labeling these as part of a "treasonous conspiracy" against Trump.

Democratic leaders quickly denounced the clearance revocations as a strategic distraction, suggesting that the administration seeks to divert attention from less favorable policy decisions and Trump’s controversial connections, such as those to convict sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "These bizarre allegations are ridiculous," stated a spokesperson for Obama, emphasizing the political nature of Gabbard's actions.