Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, strongly pushed back against Democratic criticism over the handling of a whistleblower complaint filed against her last May. Critics questioned why the document took months to reach Congress, but Gabbard emphasized she never had possession or control of the highly classified complaint.

In a detailed post on X, Gabbard accused Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and sympathetic media outlets of spreading false claims that she “hid” the complaint. She clarified that the document remained under the custody of the Intelligence Community Inspector General, first managed by Biden-era IG Tamara Johnson and later by IG Chris Fox, secured in a safe consistent with national security standards.

“The law is clear,” Gabbard wrote, noting that the 21-day referral requirement applies only to complaints deemed both urgent and credible—conditions the IG determined were not met. She added that she only became involved to provide security guidance, which she did promptly, after which the complaint was shared with the appropriate members of Congress.

Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., supported Gabbard’s actions, agreeing with the IGs that the complaint lacked credibility and that proper procedures were followed. Cotton described the controversy as a politically motivated effort to undermine policies rather than a legitimate claim of wrongdoing.

Gabbard dismissed Democratic allegations as “lies and baseless accusations” that undermine national security and mislead the public. Her office reiterated that every action complied fully with law and intelligence community protocols, countering false claims of misconduct or obstruction.

The whistleblower’s complaint itself remains classified, reinforcing that Gabbard acted appropriately while under intense political pressure.