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6d ago

Emails Reveal Pressure to Alter U.S. Intelligence on Venezuelan Gang Ties

Joe Kent, a top adviser to DNI Tulsi Gabbard, pushed for revisions to align intelligence with Trump administration claims, sparking internal and external scrutiny.

U.S. military personnel escort an alleged gang member who was deported by the U.S. along with others the U.S. alleges are members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the MS-13 gang to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, at the El Salvador International Airport in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador April 12, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
President Donald Trump and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at the White House on Feb. 12, 2025.
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Overview

  • Newly revealed emails show Joe Kent, acting chief of staff to DNI Tulsi Gabbard, requested a 'rethink' of intelligence assessments on Tren de Aragua's connections to Venezuela.
  • The February and April National Intelligence Council reports found no evidence linking the Venezuelan government to the gang's U.S. operations, contradicting Trump administration claims.
  • Michael Collins, head of the National Intelligence Council, was removed after resisting pressure to revise the assessments, raising concerns about politicization of intelligence.
  • The Trump administration invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members, citing claims of Venezuelan government involvement despite legal and institutional challenges.
  • ODNI and the White House continue to defend the administration's actions, describing the designation of Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization as 'common sense.'