Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has put herself at odds with the intelligence community she oversees, publicly challenging assessments about Russia's strategic objectives in Ukraine just as Trump administration negotiators push forward with peace talks.

Contradicting Her Own Agencies

Gabbard posted on X Saturday that US intelligence shows Russia cannot conquer Ukraine or invade Europe. She framed contrary assertions as attempts to sabotage President Donald Trump's peace efforts, claiming intelligence officers briefed lawmakers that Russia wants to avoid a broader European conflict.

The former presidential candidate wrote that Russia "does not even have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine, what to speak of 'invading and occupying' Europe."

Here's the problem: that directly contradicts what US intelligence has been saying. Reuters reported Friday that intelligence assessments from late September indicate Putin hasn't abandoned his goal of seizing all of Ukraine and reclaiming former Soviet territories.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a close Putin ally, responded enthusiastically to Gabbard's post, praising her as "great not only for documenting the Obama/Biden origins of the Russia hoax, but now for exposing the deep-state warmonger machinery."

Peace Talks Move Forward

Meanwhile, Trump's negotiators—his son-in-law Jared Kushner and longtime friend Steve Witkoff—have been working on a 20-point peace plan. Russia currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Even Secretary of State Marco Rubio sounded uncertain about Russian intentions at a Friday press conference: "I don't know if Putin wants to do a deal or Putin wants to take the whole country."

Internal Turmoil at Intelligence Agencies

The public dispute comes amid significant upheaval within the intelligence community. Earlier this year, Gabbard announced a major restructuring of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, slashing more than 40% of its workforce and eliminating hundreds of positions. She characterized the agency as "bloated, inefficient" and plagued by power abuses and unauthorized leaks.

Tensions have been running high. In May, a Defense Intelligence Agency employee was arrested for allegedly trying to share classified information with a foreign government because he was "disturbed" by Trump's actions—a vivid illustration of the fractures within the intelligence establishment.