US Intelligence Officials Seek AI Surveillance of Internal Communications for Political Loyalty Screening
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Tulsi Gabbard, reportedly sought mass internal communications from U.S. spy agencies to use AI tools to screen government employees for opposition to the Trump administration agenda. The effort was reportedly unsuccessful and framed by Gabbard's office as pursuing increased efficiency and transparency in the Intelligence Community.
What happened
A team within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence led by Tulsi Gabbard, called the Director's Initiative Group, has reportedly sought mass amounts of internal emails and chat logs from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and other U.S. spy agencies.
The team reportedly intended to use AI tools to screen these communications to identify government employees opposing the Trump administration agenda, framing the effort as pursuing increased efficiency and transparency similar to the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. The effort has reportedly been unsuccessful so far.
Reported impact
Sources told media outlets that the alleged effort would represent a "treasure trove of a target for any foreign intelligence service to go after" if completed, indicating potential national security vulnerability.
Index analysis
The effort targets internal communications of U.S. intelligence agency personnel for screening based on political alignment with the Trump administration, combining mass data collection with AI-driven surveillance of government employees.
Governance controls
Gabbard's office stated the Director's Initiative Group was tasked with "investigating weaponization, rooting out deep-seeded politicization, exposing unauthorized disclosures of classified intelligence, and declassifying information that serves a public interest." A spokesperson for Gabbard disputed the reporting and stated the office is "daring to do what no other has done before — expose the truth and end the politicization and weaponization of intelligence against Americans."
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.