Washington, D.C. — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has referred two intelligence officials to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution over alleged leaks of classified information to the Washington Post and New York Times, Fox News Digital has learned. A third referral is reportedly on the way.
In a statement, Gabbard warned that leaking classified materials for political motives undermines national security and will not be tolerated.
“Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” she said.
“These deep-state criminals leaked for partisan political purposes to undermine President Trump’s agenda.”
According to an Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) official, the internal investigation led to the referrals, which will now move through the DOJ and FBI for formal criminal probes.
“This is a warning,” the official said. “Any intelligence community bureaucrat considering leaking should know: we are investigating, and we will act.”
The criminal referrals mark the first step in a broader crackdown Gabbard is leading on leaks and politicization within the intelligence community. Earlier this month, she launched the Director’s Initiative Group (DIG) — a task force focused on exposing internal misconduct and declassifying materials of public interest.
In addition to pursuing leakers, Gabbard is reportedly taking action against employees involved in sexually explicit NSA chatrooms and other misconduct. She says these efforts are part of a wider push to restore integrity, transparency, and accountability across U.S. intelligence agencies.