Tulsi Gabbard Ends Intelligence Reform Task Force/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has ended her intelligence reform task force. The group aimed to address politicization and increase transparency within U.S. intelligence agencies. Critics questioned whether it weakened oversight and aligned agencies too closely with President Trump.
Tulsi Gabbard Intelligence Task Force – Quick Looks
- Director’s Initiative Group formed in April
- Focused on politicization, spending cuts, and declassification
- Disbanded after less than a year
- Drew criticism from Democrats and intelligence insiders
- Officers reassigned to their home agencies
Deep Look: Tulsi Gabbard Ends Intelligence Reform Task Force After Less Than a Year
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has formally ended the work of a reform panel she created last spring to review sweeping changes across the U.S. intelligence community.
The group, known as the Director’s Initiative Group, was established in April and tasked with addressing what Gabbard described as politicization within America’s intelligence agencies. It also examined ways to reduce spending, increase transparency, and evaluate whether certain high-profile intelligence reports — including those related to COVID-19 — should be declassified.
In a statement announcing the winddown, Gabbard said the task force was always intended to be temporary as she began coordinating the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
“In less than one year, we’ve brought a historic level of transparency to the intelligence community,” Gabbard said. “My commitment to transparency, truth, and eliminating politicization and weaponization remains central to all that we do.”
A Lightning Rod for Controversy
The Director’s Initiative Group quickly became a focal point for criticism from Democrats and some former intelligence officials. Critics argued the panel risked undermining institutional independence and consolidating greater executive control under President Donald Trump.
Concerns intensified amid broader policy shifts under Gabbard’s leadership. Her office has revoked security clearances for dozens of current and former officials and declassified documents related to long-standing assessments of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
She has also faced scrutiny for appearing at an FBI search of a Georgia election office tied to the 2020 vote — a move Democrats said blurred traditional boundaries between foreign intelligence gathering and domestic law enforcement.
Broader Changes to U.S. Intelligence
Under Gabbard’s tenure, the intelligence community has undergone notable structural and policy adjustments. The CIA released additional material concerning investigations into the origins of COVID-19, including an updated assessment suggesting the virus most likely originated in a laboratory.
In August, Gabbard announced plans to reduce staffing at her office and cut more than $700 million from its annual budget. Earlier in the year, she dismissed two senior intelligence officials after determining they opposed the administration’s direction.
The number and identities of personnel assigned to the now-disbanded task force remain classified. According to Gabbard’s office, those officers will return to their respective agencies and continue elements of the reform work initiated by the group.
What’s Next?
The dissolution of the task force does not signal an end to reform efforts, according to Gabbard’s statement. Instead, the changes are expected to continue through standard agency channels.
Whether the restructuring ultimately strengthens transparency or fuels further political debate remains to be seen, as intelligence policy continues to play a central role in national security and election-year politics.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.