Former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard, who served as the United States' top intelligence official, received specific orders from her "spiritual teacher" during her time as a lawmaker—ranging from introducing bills to what to say in interviews—and related circumstances emerged on the 21st local time.
The DNI oversees and coordinates 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Security Agency (NSA), and is called the "control tower of the U.S. intelligence community." It was created in 2004 after the failure of information sharing among agencies was identified as a problem in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Because the DNI chief oversees the drafting of the highest-level classified document, the President's Daily Brief, which is delivered to the president every day, strict views on national security and security awareness are required.
According to internal documents revealed by Rebecca Solzberg, a former official of the Science of Identity Foundation (SIF) who was deeply involved in Gabbard's past political activities, a behind-the-scenes advisory network centered on religious leader Chris Butler effectively carried out Gabbard's legislative activities by proxy.
Butler left the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a Hindu religious organization, in Hawaii in the 1970s and independently established the new religious foundation SIF. Gabbard's parents held senior positions in the organization, and Gabbard also grew up within the foundation from childhood, calling Butler "guru dev" (spiritual teacher) as a sign of respect. The group describes itself as a Hindu-affiliated spiritual and educational organization. In contrast, many former followers labeled it a cult, saying Butler "controlled members' lives and relationships and demanded absolute obedience."
Butler did not stop at offering opinions to Gabbard. He formed a behind-the-scenes advisory network centered on himself and controlled Gabbard's legislative activities. According to the Washington Post (WP), the guidance issued by the network went beyond simple policy suggestions and took the form of specific orders that even set the timing for legislation and statements. When a memo arrived instructing her to push a bill restricting entry by citizens of countries that produced Islamic State (IS) recruits, Gabbard issued a related statement the next day and submitted a bill about a week later. After receiving a memo to reduce prior-authorization procedures for veterans using private medical facilities, she published an op-ed to that effect and introduced a bill.
The period most concentrated in the materials runs from 2011 to 2017, when Gabbard first ran for the U.S. House and served her first two terms. Butler gave detailed instructions down to remarks in broadcast interviews and even the expressions to show on camera. Leaked media-response guidelines show Butler set phrases for Gabbard to use in a CNN interview and advised her to "refrain from opening your eyes too wide during the broadcast." He then even drafted a post-interview thank-you note to the host and sent it by email. The WP compared 32 television interviews Gabbard did between 2014 and 2016 with the internal memos and found that in 24 cases she used expressions almost verbatim from the memos. The remaining eight also developed arguments that matched the guidance precisely.
Gabbard's political trajectory itself is unusual. She won election in Hawaii in 2012 as the first Hindu member of the U.S. House of Representatives and rose to national prominence. She then ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, left the party, and joined the Republican Party in 2024. The following year in February, she was confirmed by the Senate as DNI chief nominated by Trump. In political circles, she is viewed as a pick elevated more for military experience and political loyalty than intelligence analysis credentials. Thus, at her confirmation hearing, scrutiny focused on her assessment of Edward Snowden and criticism of a pro-Russia tilt, while the extent of Butler's or any religious group's political involvement was not addressed.
Gabbard abruptly resigned on the 22nd of last month as the allegations spread. In a public letter, she cited her husband's battle with a rare bone cancer as the reason for stepping down. President Trump also defended her on social media, saying, "She did a great job, and the two are now fighting a tough battle together." However, Reuters analyzed that "the White House effectively pushed Gabbard out," adding that she "lost a power struggle after clashes with White House hard-liners over Iran policy assessments and the revocation of former intelligence officers' security clearances."
Gabbard's side and the SIF flatly denied the allegations. In a rebuttal statement, Gabbard called it "a blatant example of anti-Hindu prejudice." The SIF argued that Solzberg, who provided the emails and memos, had previously sought $250,000 (about 380 million won) from a senior figure in the group, calling it "extortion for money and a false exposé." However, neither Gabbard nor the SIF claimed the emails and memos themselves were forged. Solzberg said, "I only sought compensation for the legal risks I took on and the harm to my family."
In Washington, critics are warning that allegations of interference by unvetted outsiders could directly threaten national security. Sen. Mark Warner of the Senate Intelligence Committee told Reuters that "the DNI should now be an independent, experienced intelligence professional," strongly warning against the nation's top intelligence post being tainted by political interests or backchannel forces.