Here’s what’s publicly circulating about Tulsi Gabbard and the so-called criminal referral:
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Reports in mid-April 2026 claimed that Gabbard, then DNI, drafted criminal referrals to the Justice Department related to a whistleblower connected to Trump’s 2019 impeachment. Some outlets described it as referrals targeting a whistleblower and a former intelligence watchdog, though specifics about alleged crimes were not disclosed in initial statements.[1][2]
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Coverage around the same period noted that the referrals were presented as part of Gabbard’s ongoing efforts to revisit actions from Trump’s first term, with prosecutors at the DOJ indicated to decide whether to pursue a full investigation.[2]
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Various local and national outlets highlighted that the story generated partisan reactions and discussions about leaks, declassification, and the integrity of intelligence processes involved in the impeachment narrative.[3][5]
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Several video reports and commentary pieces from different outlets reiterated that the DOJ would evaluate the referrals to determine if a formal investigation would be opened, but they did not confirm any charges or indictments.[7][9][3]
If you’d like, I can narrow to:
- which individuals the referrals named (if claims specify),
- the current status of any DOJ review or investigation, or
- a concise timeline of the key developments with source links.