Fact Check: Did the CIA conduct a raid on Tulsi Gabbard's office?

The claim surfaced during a discussion aired on Fox News alleging that files were seized from Gabbard's office

BY SAURAV SURESH

PUBLISHED MAY 14, 2026

An online rumor claims that the CIA conducted a raid at Tulsi Gabbard's office, seizing sensitive files (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been circulating widely on social media platforms, claiming that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) conducted a raid at the office of the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, recovering several sensitive documents. The claim has sparked speculation among many. Let us analyze and fact-check the claim.

Claim: CIA raided Tulsi Gabbard’s office

The discussion also cited claims made by whistleblower James Eardman III during a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing (@JesseBWatters/X)

The claim surfaced during a discussion aired on Fox News, where it was alleged that “agents hauled out dozens of boxes” from Gabbard’s office.

The speaker claimed that “at Tulsi Gabbard’s office, Agents hauled out dozens of boxes, files on the JFK assassination and MK-Ultra, the CIA mind control operation, which she was in the process of declassifying.”

The discussion also cited claims made by whistleblower James Eardman III during a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing, claiming the files were being prepared for public release before the CIA intervened.

The claim has been shared on several social media platforms, such as X and Facebook, garnering hundreds of thousands of views, and has even been reported by some news media outlets.

Fact Check: The claim is baseless and unsupported by evidence

386984 06: President George W. Bush, Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet and others stand on the seal of the Agency March 20, 2001 at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Bush toured the facility and met some of the Agency''s employees. (Pool Photo by David Burnett/Newsmakers) — Former President George W. Bush, Former Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet, and others stand on the seal of the Agency on March 20, 2001, at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia (David Burnett/Newsmakers)

The claim, however, is fake as they are baseless and not supported by credible evidence. A search on Google for the claim showed no credible reports by prominent media outlets such as CNN, Reuters, etc, or any official statements from the department about the developments.

In response to the allegations, DNI Press Secretary Olivia Coleman said on X, “This is false - the CIA did not raid the DNI’s office.”

Anna Paulina Luna threatens CIA subpoena over alleged file seizure

CHAPPAQUA, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 27: U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) speaks to the media outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as former U.S. President Bill Clinton testifies in a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee on February 27, 2026 in Chappaqua, New York. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is set to provide testimony to the Republican-led House Oversight Committee as part of an ongoing inquiry into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's case. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave her deposition the previous day. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) speaks to the media outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as former President Bill Clinton testifies in a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee on February 27, 2026, in Chappaqua, New York (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Representative Anna Paulina Luna said she would subpoena the CIA if the agency does not return the seized files to the department’s office.

In a post on X, Luna stated, “Given the nature of the docs in question, we are sending a preservation notice. Docs need to be returned to ODNI, given that ODNI was given direction and authority by the President to declass RFK, MLK, & JFK."

"Regarding MKULTRA, these were documents specifically requested by my Task Force and currently being used for our investigation.”

"The reason why this is troubling, A) there was an executive order that the president directed the full declassification of JFK, but then also to the MK-Ultra files, famously, the CIA said that all documents were released and other documents had been destroyed," Luna told NewsNation.