Tolsi Gabbard cancels security permits for 37 US intelligence officials

The administration of President Donald Trump canceled security permits for 37 current and former officials in the United States, accusing them of politicizing intelligence on party or personal gains.

In a memorandum published on social media, the Director of National Intelligence, Toulcy Gabbard, directed several heads of the National Security Agency to immediately strip their officials of their permits, saying that this step was ordered by the president.

Among the officials are many national security assistants who served during the era of former Democratic presidents, Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

Gabbard did not provide any evidence that supports accusations in the memo.

Security permits give access to sensitive government information, and some former officials reserve advice to backwards. Some private sector jobs such as those in defense and space can require access to security permits as a pre -work condition.

It is still unclear whether all the 37 individuals listed in the memo are still carrying active permits.

Gabbard said that Trump ordered compensation because the officials “misunderstood the public’s confidence by politicizing and processing intelligence information, leaking classified intelligence without permission, or committing terrible violations of a poem of Tradecraft standards.”

Gabbard wrote on X. “Being manufactured by a security statement is an honor, not really.

The memo did not put charges against specific individuals.

This is not the first time that the Trump administration has canceled security permits for intelligence officials.

The administration had done the same for Laiden, its vice -president, Kamala Harris, and former legislators involved in investigations into the American Capitol riot four years ago.

In recent weeks, Gabbard has led the charge against intelligence officials during the Obama era who concluded that Russia had intervened in the 2016 elections that Trump won.

Trump and Gabbard described the intelligence community’s assessment as a “betrayal plot” to undermine the president’s electoral success.

Democrats rejected the movements as a political distraction, and accused the White House of paying attention to the unpopular policies and Trump’s alleged relationships to the victim’s criminal perpetrator, Jeffrey Epstein.

“These strange allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt,” said an Obama spokesman last month.

Gabbard also announced on Wednesday that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) – a major independent agency that helps DNI – will reduce its operating size by 40 % and reduce its annual budget by $ 700 million.

In a statement, she said that the agency has become “inflated and ineffective” over the past two decades and was “widespread in power use.”

She said that the intelligence community must make “serious changes” to achieve its duty and “provide objective intelligence and not biased in a timely manner.”