Tulsi Gabbard Responds to Jim Himes on Leaked Signal Chat During House Intelligence Hearing

Testimony on Signal Chat Details

• 💡 Director Gabbard stated her previous testimony was based on her recollection, acknowledging she was not directly involved with a specific part of a Signal chat.
• 🎯 She clarified that her response reflected the limited information shared by the national security adviser regarding the chat.

Recalling Chat Contents

• ❓ Rep. Himes questioned Gabbard's assertion of forgetting details from a Signal chat that included information on F-18s, MQ9 Reapers, and strike targets.
• 🧠 Gabbard maintained she did not recall the exact details of the chat's contents, though she acknowledged subsequent conversations about weapons.

Classification Guidance and Leaked Information

• ⚠️ Gabbard asserted that the information shared from the chat did not contain classified information, though she agreed it should not have been disseminated.
• ⚖️ When presented with ODNI classification guidance stating that information providing advanced warning of an attack should be classified as Top Secret, Gabbard did not disagree.
• 📄 She pointed out that the Department of Defense's (DoD) classification guidance is separate from ODNI's, and she could not comment on potential differences without reviewing the DoD guidance.
• 🔑 The Secretary of Defense holds the ultimate authority for classification and declassification.