Rep. Jim Himes Blasts DNI Tulsi Gabbard Over Declassification of Obama-Era Intelligence Documents

Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, has harshly criticized Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard for declassifying documents that allegedly detail misconduct by Obama-era intelligence officials. The documents reportedly implicate former CIA Director John Brennan and others in leveraging the discredited Steele dossier in what some are calling an effort to undermine Donald Trump’s presidency.

During a heated appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation, Himes warned that Gabbard’s actions could have real-world consequences. He accused her of endangering former officials by labeling them as conspirators and traitors. “When you start throwing around language like sedition and treason, somebody is going to get hurt,” Himes cautioned, referring to increased threats against members of the intelligence community.

Host Margaret Brennan reminded viewers that a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee—then chaired by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio—affirmed that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump. Himes also pointed out that special counsel John Durham’s investigation supported that conclusion and discredited the Steele dossier, ultimately finding no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump and Russia.

Himes accused Gabbard of engaging in “sleight of hand” by misrepresenting early intelligence reports that stated Russia had not breached voting machines, while downplaying the broader and well-documented Russian disinformation campaign. He warned that Gabbard’s narrative feeds a dangerous misinformation loop that fuels public mistrust.

“Good people are being endangered by lies,” Himes concluded, blaming conspiracy-driven rhetoric from “MAGA mouth-breathers” for increasing hostility toward intelligence professionals. Gabbard has yet to publicly respond.

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