Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, is demanding proof from Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard over the recent ouster of two senior officials from the National Intelligence Council (NIC). Michael Collins and Maria Langan-Riekhof were removed after the NIC released an assessment contradicting the Trump administration's justification for deporting alleged members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
The administration claims the gang is working with Venezuela’s Maduro regime, using the 1789 Alien Enemies Act to detain and deport suspected members to a prison in El Salvador. However, the NIC’s report stated there is no evidence the Venezuelan government is directing or coordinating with the gang's U.S. operations.
An ODNI spokesperson said the pair were dismissed for failing to provide “unbiased intelligence,” but no specific examples of bias were cited. Sources told Reuters Gabbard, a Trump loyalist, made the move without notifying Congress, sparking backlash from lawmakers.
Senator Mark Warner criticized the firings as political interference, warning it could undermine the credibility of U.S. intelligence. Meanwhile, a separate dispute is brewing between Gabbard and the CIA over control of the highly classified Presidential Daily Brief (PDB). While a source claimed Gabbard is seeking to take over the PDB, the ODNI insists the move is logistical, shifting production from the CIA to ODNI for efficiency.
The CIA has not commented, but internal resistance to the change is reportedly strong. Himes has given Gabbard until May 21 to provide documentation supporting her claims of political bias, calling the allegations against career officials “exceptionally serious.”
This controversy underscores growing concerns about politicization of intelligence under the Trump administration.