DNI Gabbard Revokes 37 Security Clearances, Sparks Debate Over "Undercover" CIA Officer's Identity

Washington D.C. – Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard last week revoked the security clearances of 37 individuals, citing their involvement in a "fraudulent January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment about Russian interference in the 2016 election" or their calls for President Trump's impeachment. This move has ignited a contentious debate, particularly after reports from the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post alleged that Gabbard "blindsided" the CIA and inadvertently revealed the name of an "undercover" agent.

The controversy centers on Julia Gurganus, identified by a senior intelligence source as the "allegedly 'undercover' officer" mentioned in media reports. According to this source, Gurganus "was an overt analyst for decades and as of a few weeks ago was openly CIA." Gabbard's office reportedly sent the list of 37 individuals to the CIA the night before the public announcement, a detail acknowledged by the Washington Post, though the Wall Street Journal claimed the CIA had "no foreknowledge" of the public release.

Julia Gurganus served as a National Intelligence Officer (NIO) for Russia and Eurasia from 2014 to 2017, overseeing the production of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA). Her name appears in the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on Russian interference, and she has a public profile, including bylines in publications like The Atlantic, where her bio stated she was "on sabbatical from the CIA." This public visibility contrasts sharply with the media's portrayal of her as a covert operative.

A senior intelligence source questioned the CIA's framing, stating, "The CIA does not put long-time overt officers under genuine cover because that would degrade cover mechanisms." This source suggested that if Gurganus was recently designated "undercover," it was "cover in name only and likely an attempt by Agency insiders to shield her from accountability for her work on politicized intelligence assessments." The source further indicated that the CIA's actions were driven by "politicized insiders who want to hide the Agency's missteps."

The DNI's office has pushed back against the media narrative, with an ODNI spokeswoman asserting that Director Gabbard "directed the revocations to ensure individuals who have violated the trust placed in them by weaponizing, politicizing, manipulating, or leaking classified intelligence are no longer allowed to do so." Alexa Henning, Gabbard's deputy chief of staff, publicly dismissed the Wall Street Journal's reporting as "false."

This development underscores DNI Gabbard's stated commitment to "depoliticize" the intelligence community, a key promise following her narrow 52-48 Senate confirmation in February 2025. Her tenure has been marked by efforts to refocus intelligence priorities on border security, counterterrorism, and counternarcotics, aligning with the current administration's agenda. The revocation of clearances is seen by some as a direct challenge to elements within the intelligence apparatus perceived as resistant to these changes.