Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has accused the Washington Post and its national security reporter Ellen Nakashima of harassment and bypassing official channels in what she described as a politically motivated effort. In a post on X, Gabbard claimed Nakashima used burner phones, misrepresented her identity, and contacted high-level intelligence officials to demand sensitive information without going through her press office.

Gabbard alleged this is part of a broader pattern of behavior by the Post, noting Nakashima previously “stalked” her family in Hawaii. She characterized the actions as unethical and politically driven, calling on the Post to stop. A Post spokesperson rejected the claims, calling them “unfounded personal attacks” and defending journalists’ role in holding government accountable. Gabbard’s deputy chief of staff, Alexa Henning, echoed the concerns. This isn’t the first such accusation—reporter Jon Swaine was similarly accused of inappropriate conduct shortly after Gabbard’s appointment. Gabbard also recently disputed leaked assessments in CNN and NYT reports on U.S. strikes on Iran, suggesting selective use of intelligence to mislead the public.