FBI Pushes Back Against House Move to Elevate Tulsi Gabbard’s Intel Role
The tension inside Washington’s intelligence circles just got a lot louder — and Tulsi Gabbard is right at the center of it. A proposal in the House of Representatives to give Gabbard, the current Director of National Intelligence, sweeping authority over counterintelligence operations has sparked a strong backlash from the FBI. The Bureau, led by Director Kash Patel, is warning that the move could create confusion, disrupt established processes, and even harm U.S. national security.
In a strongly worded letter to Congress, the FBI made it clear that it “vigorously disagrees” with the plan. The Bureau argued that it has decades of institutional knowledge and on-the-ground experience in countering foreign espionage — with 53 field offices across the country — and that taking this authority away would only build unnecessary bureaucracy. According to the letter, decisions would be handed over to officials “not actively involved” in counterintelligence operations, potentially weakening America’s defense against foreign threats.
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This disagreement isn’t just about procedure — it’s part of a growing turf war between two of President Donald Trump’s most visible loyalists: Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel. The two have reportedly clashed before, particularly over access to sensitive intelligence files. Now, Patel’s FBI is making the case that putting Gabbard in charge of all counterintelligence would undercut the Bureau’s independence and central role in protecting national security.
The House bill at the heart of this debate, called the Intelligence Authorization Act, would transfer approval powers for counterintelligence activities from the FBI to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Gabbard’s office, however, has denied overstepping boundaries, saying it continues to work collaboratively with other agencies like the CIA. Still, many in the intelligence community — including the CIA itself — are said to share the FBI’s unease about giving Gabbard such control.
Adding to the controversy are Gabbard’s own political and international ties. Her appointment as DNI was already divisive, given her past statements and perceived friendliness toward Russia and its allies. Reports have even suggested that some European intelligence partners have become cautious about sharing sensitive information with the U.S. under her leadership.
While Gabbard’s supporters argue that it’s time to modernize and streamline the nation’s counterintelligence structure, her critics — both inside and outside government — warn that the proposal could weaken existing coordination rather than strengthen it.
As Congress debates the bill, this battle between Gabbard and Patel is becoming more than just a bureaucratic fight. It’s shaping up as a defining struggle over who really controls the nation’s intelligence operations — and how far power should extend in the hands of a single official.
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