Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has dismissed two senior officials from the National Intelligence Council (NIC), a move that her office described as a step to counter the “weaponization” of intelligence.
Acting NIC Chairman Mike Collins and his deputy, Maria Langan-Riekhof, were both removed from their posts, The Hill reported.
The National Intelligence Council, described by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) as the “analytic arm” of the intelligence community, plays a critical role in coordinating intelligence analysis for U.S. policymakers.
In addition to the high-profile firings, Gabbard also ordered the NIC’s relocation. Previously housed at the CIA, the council will now return to office space within the ODNI.
Firing After Report Contradicts Admin’s Narrative
The firings come on the heels of an assessment released by the NIC, through a Freedom of Information Act request, that refuted Trump administration claims that the gang Tren de Aragua was working in coordination with the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The assessment report had challenged one of the key reasons President Donald Trump invoked wartime powers—specifically, the 1789 Alien Enemies Act—to justify deportations to a Salvadoran prison.
“While Venezuela’s permissive environment enables TDA to operate, the Maduro regime probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA movement to and operations in the United States,” the declassified document stated.
Collins’ Controversial Past
Collins brings nearly three decades of experience in the intelligence community. He began his career as an analyst focused on East Asia and later served as chief of staff to the CIA’s deputy director and as the agency’s chief strategy officer. Collins was known for his association with former CIA deputy director Michael Morell.
Morell was one of the officials who signed the controversial letter suggesting that the discovery of Hunter Biden’s laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
Langan-Riekhof’s Deep Experience
Maria Langan-Riekhof, a veteran of 33 years in the intelligence community, was appointed in 2019 under the Trump administration as director of the NIC’s Strategic Futures Group. A Middle East expert, she has also served at the CIA. Langan-Riekhof was recognized as one of the DNI’s “Exceptional Analysts” for 2008–09.
Gabbard’s Crackdown On Intelligence Leaks
Gabbard’s latest move follows a series of public statements about leaks within the intelligence community.
Last month, she announced that she had referred two intelligence leaks to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation, with a third referral underway involving a recent leak to The Washington Post. She added that an additional 11 individuals remain under investigation.
