Gabbard's office warns attorney not to share classified complaint with Congress

Source: The Hill

02/10/26 4:15 PM ET


National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s office on Monday warned the attorney of an anonymous whistleblower not to share a classified complaint about the director’s handling of classified material with Congress. Gabbard’s general counsel sent the letter to attorney Andrew Bakaj in response to a letter sent on Feb. 3. Bakaj wrote that if Gabbard failed to provide security guidance to him and his client, they will approach members of Congress and hold an unclassified briefing about the whistleblower’s findings.

“The highly classified nature of the underlying complaint increases the risk that you or your client inadvertently or otherwise breaks the law by divulging or mishandling classified information,” the letter from Gabbard’s office shared on the social platform X reads. “You may have other means of appearing in front of Congress, but this is not it.”

“Furthermore, despite your contentions to the contrary, the protections and rights attributed to whistleblowers, including your client, do not extend to you,” the letter continues. “The complainant remains authorized to notify Congress of the ‘fact of’ their complaint, not details of the contents.”

Gabbard’s letter cites reviews by inspectors general in the intelligence community that determined that the allegations in the whistleblower’s complaint, after speaking with Gabbard, were not credible. Democrats on the Senate and House Intelligence committees have asked why it took eight months for the whistleblower’s complaint to be sent to members of Congress, as is required by law.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5731671-tulsi-gabbard-whistleblower-warning/