Gabbard Ends Intelligence Reform Task Force After Less Than a Year

The panel became a lightning rod for criticism of the Director of National Intelligence.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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After less than a year, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is ending the work of a task force she created to look at changes to the U.S. intelligence community. The panel, known as the Director's Initiative Group, was formed in April and charged with rooting out the politicization of intelligence gathering and studying ways to reduce spending and declassify reports. The group became a lightning rod for criticism, with Democrats and some intelligence insiders questioning whether it would be used to weaken spy agencies and bring them under the control of former President Donald Trump.

Why it matters

Gabbard's leadership of the intelligence community has been marked by controversial moves, including revoking security clearances of former officials, declassifying documents to question Russian interference in the 2016 election, and blurring the lines between foreign intelligence and domestic law enforcement. The disbanding of this task force raises further questions about Gabbard's approach to reforming the intelligence community.

The details

The Director's Initiative Group was formed in April 2025 and charged with rooting out the politicization of intelligence gathering, reducing spending on intelligence, and determining whether reports on high-profile topics like COVID-19 should be declassified. In announcing the end of the group's work, Gabbard said it was always intended to be a temporary effort as she began her work overseeing coordination of the nation's 18 intelligence agencies. The number and identities of the officers assigned to the group is classified, and they will now return to other agencies to continue the work.

  • The Director's Initiative Group was formed in April 2025.
  • The group's work is ending in February 2026, less than a year after it was created.

The players

Tulsi Gabbard

The Director of National Intelligence who created the Director's Initiative Group and is now ending its work.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, whose control over the intelligence community has been a concern regarding Gabbard's actions.

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What they’re saying

“In less than one year, we've brought a historic level of transparency to the intelligence community. My commitment to transparency, truth, and eliminating politicization and weaponization within the intelligence community remains central to all that we do.”

— Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence (Reuters)

The takeaway

Gabbard's decision to disband the intelligence reform task force after less than a year raises further questions about her approach to overseeing the U.S. intelligence community, including concerns about politicization and her relationship with the former president.