In March 2025, Gabbard, along with other senior members of the administration, discussed the plans for the US’s attacks in Yemen on a Signal group chat that leaked to journalist Jeffrey Goldberg.[297] When questioned by Congress, Gabbard admitted sharing the information with Goldberg was a “mistake”, but claimed none of the information shared was classified.[298] After the Signal leak, reporters of Der Spiegel used online leaked data to find personal information such as emails, phone numbers, and messaging accounts of several U.S. security officials including Gabbard, who was exposed on WikiLeaks and Reddit.[299] Gabbard’s office responded that Gabbard had not used the online accounts for several years and that her data leak occurred nearly 10 years ago, but Der Spiegel reported that Gabbard’s private Google account was active two weeks prior, and that messages sent by Der Spiegel to her leaked WhatsApp and Signal accounts were also apparently delivered.[299]
Gabbard’s nomination was met with controversy.[250][251][252] Media coverage was widely critical,[253][254][255] and Democrats raised concerns about her past meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and remarks perceived as aligning with Russian narratives.[256][257] Critics, including former CIA Director Leon Panetta, questioned her lack of intelligence experience and opposition to U.S. involvement in Ukraine.[258]
The New York Times noted that while Russian media had amplified Gabbard’s foreign policy views, there was no evidence of collaboration with Russian intelligence, and she had opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.[259] Democratic congressmen, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jason Crow, Tammy Duckworth, and Elizabeth Warren, labeled her a “likely Russian asset.”[260][261][262][263][43]
Over 100 former national security officials signed a letter opposing her nomination.[264][265][266] Gabbard’s spokesperson dismissed these concerns as politically motivated attacks.[267][265]
From Wikipedia