Tulsi Gabbard Faces Claims of External Influence Amid Intelligence Purge

The investigation, drawing on 25,000 pages of documents provided by former campaign worker Rebecca Saltzburg, suggests a pattern where Butler’s allies collaborated with Gabbard’s staff. Memos linked to the Hawaii-based group reportedly mirrored the congresswoman’s legislative maneuvers, including specific bills and foreign policy rhetoric regarding Syria. Critics of the Science of Identity Foundation, a yoga-centric organization established in the 1970s, describe a rigid hierarchy where Butler maintained absolute influence over his followers' lives and political actions.

Gabbard’s spokesperson has denied the allegations. This scrutiny coincides with a chaotic transition at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Acting Director William Pulte has initiated a sweeping reduction of the agency's workforce, resulting in the immediate termination of several political appointees loyal to Gabbard. Lawmakers, including Senator Mark Warner and Representative Jim Himes, have formally warned that these rapid, inexperienced cuts threaten national security. Meanwhile, the physical remnants of the prior administration are vanishing; staffers have removed dozens of portraits of Gabbard from the agency’s northern Virginia headquarters, signaling a total departure from her brief tenure.