Key points
- Chat tools are normally used to share sensitive information
- Earlier, Tulsi moved to fire employees who led diversity initiatives
- Her effort has temporarily been paused
ISLAMABAD: United States (US) National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard has said she fired more than 100 employees from across the intelligence community for using a secure government chat normally used to share sensitive information to participate in sexually explicit conversations.
She told Fox News that the employees’ use of the National Security Administration tool was “an egregious violation of trust” that went against “basic rules and standards around professionalism.”
“I put out a directive today that they will all be terminated and their security clearances will be revoked,” Gabbard said.
Conservative activist Chris Rufo, who writes for City Journal, first disclosed the news Tuesday, According to Reuters.
I put out a directive today that they will all be terminated and their security clearances will be revoked.” – US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard
A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said on X Tuesday that Gabbard had sent a memo directing all intelligence agencies to identify the employees who participated in the “obscene, pornographic, and sexually explicit chatrooms” by Friday.
In her Fox News interviews, Gabbard said that the administration would continue to “clean house.”
SCOOP: @TulsiGabbard is preparing a memo directing all intelligence agencies to identify the employees who participated in the NSA’s “obscene, pornographic, and sexually explicit” chatrooms and to terminate their employment and revoke their security clearances. Deadline: Friday.
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) February 25, 2025
The office has in recent weeks also moved to fire employees who led diversity initiatives in the Biden administration.
It is not clear how many people throughout the intelligence community have been told that they will be fired. That effort has temporarily paused as a federal judge reviews the legality of the move.
