The National Security Agency (NSA) detected a phone call last spring involving a person associated with foreign intelligence and an individual described as being close to former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a whistleblower complaint cited by the whistleblower’s attorney.
NSA detected phone call involving foreign intelligence and Trump associate, whistleblower alleges
The existence of the call and the handling of related intelligence were disclosed by Andrew Bakaj, the attorney representing the whistleblower, who said he was briefed on the matter. The intelligence has been described as highly sensitive and classified. Details of the call itself have not been made public.
The whistleblower alleges that after the NSA detected the communication, the intelligence was not shared through routine channels or transmitted to Congress within the timeframe required under whistleblower laws.
According to Bakaj, the intelligence was brought to the attention of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard. The whistleblower alleges that instead of allowing the NSA to circulate a written intelligence report, Gabbard took a paper copy of the intelligence directly to the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles.
Bakaj said that one day after meeting Wiles, Gabbard instructed the NSA not to publish the intelligence report. Instead, she allegedly directed the agency to transmit the classified information only to her office.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has not provided a detailed public response to questions about the phone call or the handling of the intelligence. The ODNI later issued a letter to lawmakers acknowledging the existence of a highly sensitive whistleblower complaint and stated that delays were linked to classification issues, a government shutdown, and procedural matters involving the inspector general.
Handling of the intelligence by the Director of National Intelligence
The whistleblower first contacted the intelligence community inspector general in April. A formal complaint was filed in May, alleging that the handling of the intelligence constituted an “urgent concern” under federal whistleblower law.
The acting inspector general at the time, Tamara A. Johnson, dismissed the complaint after a 14-day review period. In a letter dated 6 June, she wrote that the inspector general could not determine whether the allegations appeared credible. The letter stated that the whistleblower could approach Congress only after receiving guidance from the DNI due to the classified nature of the material.
Members of Congress did not receive a version of the whistleblower complaint until February, approximately eight months after the intelligence was first flagged, according to statements from lawmakers. The version provided to congressional leaders was heavily redacted.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said publicly that whistleblower complaints are required by law to be transmitted to Congress within 21 days. He stated that the delay in this case was inconsistent with that requirement.
Republican lawmakers have defended Gabbard’s actions. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas said in a public statement that the DNI took necessary steps to ensure the intelligence was handled in accordance with the law.
Congressional access, delays, and oversight concerns
Members of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight,” which includes senior leaders from both chambers of Congress with access to classified intelligence, reviewed the redacted complaint and have expressed differing views on both the credibility of the whistleblower and the legality of the handling of the intelligence.
Concerns have also been raised about the independence of the intelligence community inspector general’s office. Lawmakers noted that in May, Gabbard assigned one of her senior advisers, Dennis Kirk, to work within the watchdog office. Kirk previously served in the first Trump administration and was involved in Project 2025, a policy blueprint for restructuring the federal government.
Representative Stephen F. Lynch, the leading Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, wrote to the inspector general warning that the assignment could raise questions about the independence of the office. No public response to that letter has been issued.
The identity of the foreign intelligence service involved in the phone call has not been disclosed. The individual described as being close to Trump has also not been publicly identified. The contents of the call remain classified.
According to Bakaj, much of the whistleblower complaint released to Congress was redacted by the ODNI, citing executive privilege. Bakaj said he does not know the full contents of the underlying intelligence but stated that the use of executive privilege indicates that the matter involves presidential action.
Bakaj has stated that the whistleblower’s disclosure concerns national security and that guidance was requested from the DNI’s office on how to share the full report with Congress while protecting classified information. He said the office did not respond by the stated deadline.
Congressional staff have confirmed that lawmakers have requested the underlying intelligence directly from the NSA, a process permitted under existing oversight rules and separate from the ODNI and inspector general process.
No criminal charges have been filed in connection with the allegations. The whistleblower complaint remains under congressional review, and the intelligence involved remains classified.
