Against the backdrop of Tulsi Gabbard resigning her position as Director of National Intelligence, there is an opportunity to explain how the Washington DC Intelligence Community functions in real life.
ODNI Tulsi Gabbard has rightly been receiving a lot of praise for her efforts at removing the shroud of secrecy that is often used by an intensely territorial IC network. Simultaneously, she has received criticism or what Machiavelli called, “the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institution”; because, in reality Tulsi Gabbard might be considered the first functional DNI.
One of the reasons Tulsi Gabbard was effective was her willingness to answer this question:
It was DNI Tulsi Gabbard who released the receipts showing how the CIA and IC ran an impeachment operation against President Trump. CIA operative Eric Ciarmella, ICIG Michael Atkinson and HPSCI Chairman Adam Schiff all collaboratively involved.
Here it becomes more important for the next sequence of events to fully understand what it was about Tulsi Gabbard in the position of DNI that made such a big difference. What was it about her approach to the office of the DNI that made Gabbard stand out? This is a discussion worth having.
You may have seen reports of the CIA essentially spying on Tulsi Gabbard. However, no one running with that narrative realizes how silly that sounds to those who understand how the silo system works within the intelligence community.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is a hub, an interface, a central repository for all intelligence information that can be viewed, analyzed and shared with federal law enforcement, specifically the FBI. The ODNI operates on essentially the same system as the CIA and NSA for intelligence information. These sub-silos/offices are territorial yes, but they are not adversarial.
Tulsi Gabbard is not fighting with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and the CIA doesn’t need to “raid” anything because the DNI and CIA are using the same information network interface. The DNI works within the CIA database. Yes, on paper both the CIA and NSA report to the DNI, but they do not operate disconnected information systems. The CIA, NSA and DNI work through the same computer interface, with varying levels of access.
HISTORY: In the era shortly after 9/11, the DC national security apparatus was constructed to preserve continuity of government and simultaneously view all Americans as potential threats. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) were created specifically for this purpose. Washington DC created the modern national security apparatus immediately and hurriedly after 9/11/01. DHS came along in 2002 and within the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 the ODNI was formed.
Porter Goss was the last director of Central Intelligence (DCI) from 2004 to 2005. He then became the first director of the Central Intelligence Agency following the passage of the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which abolished the DCI position and replaced it with the Director of National Intelligence on December 17, 2004. [Goss resigned as Director of the CIA on May 5, 2006.]
The first DNI was former U.S. ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte who was appointed on February 17, 2005, by President George W. Bush. On February 13, 2007, Mike McConnell became the second director of national intelligence, after Negroponte was appointed Deputy Secretary of State. On January 29, 2009, retired Navy admiral Dennis C. Blair became the third DNI on after being nominated by newly inaugurated President Barack Obama. President Obama dismissed Blair whose resignation became effective May 28, 2010. Obama then appointed an intentional doofus, James Clapper.
Thanks to the manipulative efforts of then Vice-President Mike Pence, the fifth DNI was fellow Hoosier, Dan Coats, who was a former member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). Coats left after the 2019 impeachment began. The sixth DNI, John Ratcliffe, was confirmed May 21, 2020. The seventh DNI was Avril Haines, who took office on January 21, 2021 and stayed throughout Biden’s term in office until January 2025.
The important takeaway here is to understand that none of these former officials to hold the DNI position every fulfilled the legislated and authorized function of the DNI as the top of the Intelligence Community system. Instead, they ran the DNI office as a separate silo disconnected from the other legacy networks. All of it was essentially status quo, until Tulsi Gabbard arrived.
[NOTE: Throughout 2024 you may even remember CTH outlining how the DNI position had power that was never fully understood, because it was never activated. All of the IC silos fall under the ODNI, yet none of the prior Directors used the power of this office. CTH made the case of the DNI position being a great possibility for change. The DNI can reach into any IC sub-silo, extract any intelligence product, review it and declassify it with the support of the President. That’s exactly what Tulsi Gabbard started doing.]
Now, because the DNI is a hub – the office operates in a full 360° spectrum over both foreign and domestic intelligence affairs.
On the domestic side, Tulsi reached into the HPSCI for the Atkinson transcript, because the Intelligence Community Inspector General (IC IG) works for the DNI. Working with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Tulsi also took control of the President’s Daily Brief (PDB) and also took the Intelligence Advisory Board out of the CIA and put it under the ODNI.
Again, working collaboratively, Gabbard pulled the background material behind the CIA’s 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) out of the CIA declassified it any gave it to the public. She also released the HPSCI report on the ICA highlighting the politicization of it. Additionally, she released all the background material showing how John Brennan, James Comey and James Clapper coordinated with the Obama White House on the Trump targeting effort.
All of that was simply by using the power of the office that always existed but had never been used.
On the international side of the ODNI authority, often people get confused about how this all works, so I tried to create an analogy that would help make it easier to digest. You have heard me say for years now, about the restaurant analogy for the Dept of State.
♦ Historically: The Secretary of State is the maître d’. DoS/CIA personnel are the wait staff. The CIA Director is the chef in the kitchen. USAID were the food runners, and the Dept of War were the bus boys. Every nation gets a different menu…. and, the important part, Israel has a table in the kitchen.
Congress eats for free, and for the past several years the ever-arbitrary client Ukraine was the biggest tipper who obnoxiously reminded the staff.
Notice. No where in this analogy do you see the DNI.
There’s a reason for that.
Until Tulsi Gabbard entered the IC system, no DNI ever engaged in this process. [REMINDER HERE] Tulsi Gabbard did. Strongly. As a consequence, everyone within that historic operation viewed Mrs. Gabbard as a threat.
Gabbard walked into the restaurant, selected her own seat, started to look at the menu options, and began closely watching how the employees were interacting and asking what their functional value to the American people who are paying the bills.
Tulsi Gabbard didn’t do this arbitrarily. Again, look at the operation described. In 2025, Marco Rubio is the maître d’, and John Ratcliffe is the chef. It was all of the people who “profit by the preservation of the old institution” who immediately became the people who freaked out.
♦ Sticking with the metaphor, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) is like the public Health Dept. They are supposed to do the food safety and quality inspections.
Unfortunately, the SSCI inspectors are easily bribed and as a consequence there is no oversight per se. The Restaurant donates to the health inspectors, provides them influence and affluence, and like a mafia operation the inspectors fear the restaurant owners they are supposed to oversee. [Schumer: “Seven ways from Sunday”]
For decades the multinational restaurant business operated without interruption. Each maître d’ simply smiled and casually palmed the indulgency bribes from the arriving guests. The status of the restaurant expanded with everyone making bank.
Tulsi just walking in and sitting down was like Eliot Ness casually walking into Al Capone’s favorite speakeasy. The IC equivalent of a WTF moment.
Now, here it becomes important to think about the technical processes that were used with the ODNI was created, and how Tulsi essentially is the very first DNI that wasn’t appointed purposefully just to retain the Patriot Act status quo.
From that perspective, America’s first fully matriculated DNI is Tulsi Gabbard. The rest were placeholders for the status quo; inserted to retain the power of the CIA and the systems of their familiarity.
During the Bush, Obama, Trump (T1) and Biden terms, the IC interface never changed. The basic way the IC system operated was the same. The Dept of State did their thing; the CIA was inside and part of the support system; the FBI/DOJ did their corrupt Lawfare stuff domestically and the DNI was irrelevant.
Go back and look at it. It was only after Tulsi Gabbard became DNI that the office truly opened up, and the long-neglected, albeit new systems meant to run the control mechanisms were finally dusted off and put to use.
I’m certain, much to the dismay of the DC stakeholders, a lot more information will become public in the next 30-days.
Remember, we are inside every facility, every institution, every meeting, every moment of their existence – and we notice everything. We are there when they do not expect, and we melt away before they notice our appearance. We see what they hide, we hear what they whisper, we decipher their codes, and we understand the complexity they create in their effort to conceal. We go to the places we know they will travel. We have allies and resources inside the core of their machinery. We understand what and why everything is being constructed, and we share all the information we discover. The truth isn’t mean; it’s just The Truth. Oh, and yeah, when I was a kid, Porter Goss was my neighbor. ~ Sundance
Will her work carry on ??
Well, she will leave Jun 30th, so that covers the next 30 days.
If the info dump is big enough, they won’t be able to flush the toilet and simply wash it all away.
Tulsi is the Trump of ODNIs. A Rubio would be a better successor than a Cruz, but he’s no Trump. Someone has to follow Trump but no one can replace him. I don’t think there is a Gabbard replacement. Hopefully the interim guy really is. A strong ODNI is probably the second most important cabinet position.
She could have been the first female behind the resolute desk.
There is nothing saying she can’t be. Stepping away to care for her husband during his health battle doesn’t preclude Tulsi from serving in the future.
Re “There is nothing saying she can’t be.”
The U.S. Constitution says she cannot legally serve as president. As you probably know, one of the three presidential requirements is that only a natural born citizen can serve as president. In order to be a natural born citizen, one must be born on U.S. soil to two U.S. citizen parents.
What you probably do not know is that Gabbard’s birth place, American Samoa, is a self-governing, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States. As such, it is not legally considered to be U.S. soil as is required in order for a person to be a natural born citizen.
Please see my reply below to astitchintyme also.
So? O’bummer made it.
So, OJ got away with murder, but we still do everything possible to arrest murderers and put them in jail, right?
She still can be.
The replacement was her General yes? The one who knew the system inside out and orchestrated her resolve.
Re “A Rubio would be a better successor than a Cruz, but he’s no Trump. Someone has to follow Trump but no one can replace him.”
The first question that must be asked when deciding who might be a potential presidential candidate is, “Does he/she meet the three requirements mandated by the Constitution?”
Neither Rubio nor Cruz meets the most important of those three requirements; that being that only a natural born citizen can legally serve as president.
To be a natural citizen, one must be born on U.S. Soil to two U.S. citizens.
Cruz was born in Canada, and his father was never a U.S. citizen. Rubio was born on U.S. soil but neither of his parents were U.S. citizens. Therefore, both are disqualified by the Constitution.
While adhering to the Constitution does in fact exclude some truly wonderful choices, personal opinions as to how great someone might be as president cannot be allowed to have more weight than their Constitutional eligibility. Besides, within a population of 238 million U.S. citizens, surely two (one for president and one for vp) can be found that are both truly wonderful and Constitutionally eligible.
Correction: America’s current population is 338 million, not 238 million; which offers 100 million additional potential choices.
A precedent was set with o’bummer.
Cite the court case certifying as precedent Obama’s usurpation of the presidency…
Don Brown?
DNI Gabbard retrieved and declassified a great deal of records that should never have been hidden from public view. She has forwarded several criminal referrals to DOJ. Next move is to Acting Director Blanche. As to other info / revelations in the next 30 days, I can only speculate. Hopefully the next DNI is someone with smarts and fire in their belly. Rubio and Vance are lucky to have worked with someone of this caliber as DNI. I hope that they are taking good notes. Previous DNIs were clueless.
“Give it to me straight, Doc.”
“We think you have Epstein-Barr Syndrome, sir.”
“I know–but what’s wrong with me?”
Is this beauty ..Epstein Class too ?????
His father, Donald Barr, had an association of sorts.
Donald Barr gave Jeffrey Epstein a Math and Science teaching job at the Dalton School in New York. Jeffrey Epstein was a college drop out.
Donald Barr wrote a creepy book “Space Relations: A Slightly Gothic Interplanetary Tale” about oligarchs, child sex slavery, and breeding clinics.
Jeffrey Epstein was rumored to have a “breeding clinic” of sorts at his Zorro Ranch in New Mexico where he intended to create a superior race impregnating women with his own sperm.
The whole lot of them – are just sick, sick, sick people.
Strange that no none knows about the creep Donald Barr and his pervert book. Not to mention he was an OSS officer.
Epstein and his Supremacists
“…”just”…?
It’s a “nothingburger” according to some.
The Grandson and Great-Grandson of the Ukrainian-English Barr line and the Amsterdam interests.
That photo is perfection!
“We have a special long-term care facility for people suffering from this syndrome, where they can receive around the clock supervision and care.”
This picture portrays the man.
Many “up’s and down’s” and at times, too may for this old Man to take but I am encouraged by the grip the younger generations seem to be establishing re: MAGA and Trump’s ultimate mission. This news however; feels again like “deals have to be made” and we may not see more “reveals.”
Isn’t that why William Colby met his end? (because “….the scale is too damaging to reveal”????) And what about “I’ll scatter it into a million pieces” JFK???
All those in the IC and before Tulsi were Hell bent of destroying this country
And she was burned by being, “followed” on airplanes!
May the Holy Spirit guide President Trump in his selection of the next DNI.
OK Sundance, now that you’ve outed yourself as a Deep State Intel prodigy from youth…….just don’t tell me that you’ve ever kicked the family pooch and I’m good with your Mea Culpa ( based on your patriotic analytic appeal ).
👉Sundance wasn’t a neighbor in Mr. Roger’s neighborhood, but apparently he was a neighbor with Porter Goss👈😉.
yes!
Sundance grew up in the middle of it…. it being intelligence stuff.
Very intriguing for a young man with a “wonder” spirit.
So happy you share with us.
huggs 🙂
Who are the people in your neighborhood! 😉
I hear she steely as you please
Tulsi Gabbard could be Samurai Japanese
‘steely as you please’ is a new phrase to me so I looked it up and at the same time started hearing Steely Dan music in my head. Steely Dan’s music (both lyrics and music) is quite uncommonly deep and intricate compared to much of the pantheon of music. Here’s a perspective on that phrase that turned up in my search:
The phrase “steely as you please” does not appear to be a standard idiom with a documented origin. However, its meaning can be derived from the established word “steely”.
Thanks. A pretty darned good description of Tulsi Gabbard.
🤙
Good article to keep a copy of or at least a saved link).
Tulsi is now the ‘gold standard’ by which all future DNI’s are measured.
🎯
I felt more comfortable with her there then I do now, have to wait and see what transpires next.
“thAn” lol
The next 30 days is going to be very enjoyable.
SO i HUMBLY PRAY
AMEN
Keep an eye on that senator’s forehead vein (VA). It’s getting ready to burst. 🥵
Cabinet secretaries are expected to advocate and protect their departments also. In particular, the DNI, DOJ, and DoD were weaponized against Trump during his first term. Much of the DoW has been cleaned out by a series of firings. Tulsi shed light on the IC, which effectively means she acted as a whistleblower against her own department. Next up has to be the DOJ. Bondi was completely ineffective.
Has she been on Fox since her firing?
Has she been anywhere since her firing?!!
Cue the Blondie hit song: “Rapture”
i couldn
t agree more,sundance....she was a great hire...a straight shooter...and a loyal soldier there to do a job...if you notice she was not on tv much after her confirmation...she wasnt pam bondi……i
m so sorry that shes been forced to step down and the situation her husband and herself find themselves in…prayers and best wishes…i doubt we`ll find a replacement like her…
This Republic has drifted so far away from the Constitution…
barely recognizable.
And, more importantly, has drifted away from God!!!
The constitution is a piece of paper if the governed become godless and self-obsessed. Until the day of change comes it will continue to produce the same output.
The American people make the mistake of thinking that the mere framework for our system of checks and balances ensures that our politicians and government officials will be less corrupt. But the opposite is true…..
The system of checks and balances was set up based on the assumption that our politicians and government officials would be every bit as corrupt as every other group of politicians and government officials throughout history.
So the system of checks and balances only works if the American people assume that our politicians and government officials are more likely to be satanic cannibalistic pedophiles, rather than good humans.
Is this a good visual of what the DNI location looks like? A modern public school facility (not what goes on in the walls). So the modern architecture is a central hub with spokes of each grade/halls out from it. Yes, of course it does look like a prison, but one person can look down each hall. Halls are independent/autonomous, but the central person sees everything.
I wish God’s hand upon her & Abraham, as well as some good head-clearing surf for her.
Mahalo and Aloha.
This was an excellent description and explanation of this system, and the importance of the role Tulsi Gabbard played. Thank you. The closure, “I’m certain, much to the dismay of the DC stakeholders, a lot more information will become public in the next 30-days.” is encouraging. Hopefully it comes to fruition – Losing her is very concerning. Hopefully another honest, motivated and fearless person exists and will take her place and continue her work.
Be that as it may, so far I have only seen deep state crime reporters and not deep state crime prosectors.
I think the rational from republicans is we should stick to democratic principles and the people should just vote out the corruption. Not the job we think we have voted you in to do.
at some point in a chess game the fix is in. you’re out of moves. you can keep moving pawns here and there, but the games over. the IC has the fix in. we think we can fix it by voting. and maybe thats simply not the case anymore.
Dan Bishop?
The reporting of the JFK and other files removed from the ODNI is incomplete according to what I’m understanding.
So where did they really go and why?
Wake up and smell the roses, FF…
Even though our “government” says they are going to release ALL of the files, they will ALWAYS keep certain files that may embarrass or expose criminality of certain individuals hidden from we, the people…
I think you missed the point Troly Mc.Trollerson.
Sundance has said that this did not happen.
Imho, I don’t think TG will be non-productive in regards to her country.
She can be caregiver and patriot.
You don’t allow talent like that to draw dust.
She will be functional in some capacity.
Again, imho.
She could have been the first female president. No other woman was even close.
“She
could have beenmay very well be the first female president.”Stepping out of the limelight does not equate to stepping into obscurity. She is still quite young, career wise. With the blessings of her husband’s full recovery she might opt in for a return to public office.
One day at a time, Treepers
There is a lot to admire and emulate in Tulsi’s service to Our Great Nation. She is the consummate Citizen-Soldier and Public Servant. Prayers and Godspeed to her and Abraham as they embark on their next chapter together.
Sundance, please be sure to differentiate between NSA (National Security Advisor) and NSA (National Security Agency). Your picture of Tulsi (DNI), Rubio (National Security Advisor), and Ratcliffe (CIA) is self-explanatory, but very often readers may mistakenly think of the other NSA (the National Security Agency) rather than the National Security Advisor.
she did a great job. i do have to think that sundance caused this disaster for the I.C.. somebody had to lay out the power of the DNI.
She’s stated to make 2-4 more big weekly declassifications showing the govt corruption. Her replacement is said to be of sound mind to carry it all forward
Here’s hoping.
If her replacement is a male, an Eagle Scout would be a shiny accomplishment!
My spidey sense says Tulsi was clearly pushed out. I’m not entirely sure why quite yet. But it may have something to do with her embarrassing Devin Nunes and John Ratcliffe, two cowards who had the knowledge and the receipts to expose and potentially end the CIA-conceived impeachment of Donald Trump (Ciaramella-Vindman-Atkinson-Schiff axis), but decided not to.
And here we are at the crux of the problem: fear. Fear, not money, dominates D.C. People like Bondi, Blanche, Patel, Bongino, and Ratcliffe (again) did nothing and will continue to do nothing because they’re afraid of retribution. The Democrats and the deep staters are already threatening Trump officials in no uncertain terms that the moment Democrats retake the executive branch, there’ll be hell to pay.
Tulsi apparently was the only one who didn’t care. Based on what I know about her prior history, she wouldn’t have resigned simply to care for her husband. Besides, as the spouse of the Director of National Intelligence, Abraham would’ve had access to the best treatment available in this country, courtesy of Uncle Sam and U.S. taxpayers. Gabbard isn’t a billionaire.
So, in my view, the standard isn’t, “Is there enough sketchy information available to prove that Trump pushed her out because of John and Devin?” The standard is, “Does this smell enough like skunk that we should keep pressing the question of what really happened, and why Tulsi would abruptly quit even though staying in D.C. would’ve advanced her career and given her husband care options she could never afford as a private individual?”
God forbid if my husband was diagnosed with bone cancer, I would NEVER leave his side.
I admire Tulsi for her bravery, but she’s not the type. She’s a career woman, and DNI isn’t a day job.
That said, I don’t believe this whole setup. It’s way too convenient. She exposed the CIA Director and Devin Nunes, both Trump guys, particularly Nunes, as cowards, and shortly after she resigns because of her husband’s cancer? What are the odds?
That said, this is Washington, D.C., Dee, and when you join this circus, you’ve got an angle. And Tulsi always seemed to have one.
She had “Phase One” operational responsibility. Its a hand off. Things are going to get real. My humble speculation.
Take a powder dude. And maybe dial up some humanity while doing so.
Oh sure, bud. Because we always buy the simplistic “hero vs. traitor” framing people push online.
I think you can admire Ms. Gabbard for her bravery and willingness to step into hostile territory, which she clearly demonstrated more than once, while still questioning the circumstances surrounding her resignation.
Again, I’m not buying the premise. They were gunning for her the entire time.
Washington doesn’t work on sentiment. It works on leverage, timing, money, and survival.
I keep hearing this same story mainly from the left based media. Is it that impossible to think she would concentrate on her spouse first?
Both are practicing Hindu. I’m not sure how they will approach his diagnosis. That is their personal business and theirs alone.
And to finish, I believe we have not seen the last of Tulsi Gabbard. All we can do now is to pray for both of them as they deal with this cancer.
These insinuations and innuendos that you’re somehow playing for the wrong team never end the moment you question the official Trump White House narrative. What the hell? I thought people could still exchange opinions freely without immediately being accused of being a left-winger
To answer your question though, yes, it’s difficult to believe she’d quit voluntarily because it doesn’t match her profile. And I don’t believe her husband actually would’ve let her. If my wife were building a career, I’d hate to see her lose it to babysit me.
That said, Hinduism generally has no prohibition against modern medicine, surgery, hospitals, or pharmaceuticals. They’re not Christian Scientists. Half of my doctors are Hindus.
I hope she returns in some capacity. Unfortunately, she’s not a lawyer. Otherwise, she would’ve made a great AG or FBI Director. She is hard to intimidate.
And if her husband is indeed facing serious health challenges, I genuinely hope he recovers quickly. I wish both him and her well. Again, I liked her a lot as DNI. It’s a loss for the country.
Assuming you are correct in, “Tulsi apparantly was the only one who didn’t care,” that contradicts the idea that she was pushed out. If you believe the first, then the second is unlikely.
If what you say is true about fear dominating D.C., then the logical question is who…who is causing that fear?
To hopefully clarify, not being scared of the deep state rigging the brakes on your car or trying to trip you up on some implied or inferred illegality is one thing, and she definitely wasn’t scared of that. Being called into the “Oval” and given a choice to either resign or be publicly fired is different. Being fired by Trump, and POTUS is the only person who can fire the DNI, is a career-ending event. That’s why she probably resigned.
And yes, I do believe she was pushed out by Trump, who listened to Nunes and Ratcliffe and made a simple risk-reward calculation: fire her, or face a rogue intelligence apparatus going into overdrive.
You can contain them if you understand how to use raw intel, but you can’t replace them. That’s simply not happening if you live in the real world.
Just to be clear, I don’t believe the CIA “raided” the ODNI. But I do find the timing of her resignation and, most importantly, RFK, Jr.’s recent accusations about the CIA’s handling of JFK assassination files all too convenient. Remember, RFK, Jr. is a member of the Cabinet, and as Secretary of HHS has statutory access to the U.S. intelligence apparatus. So no, I don’t think there’s smoke without fire.
Now to your question, “Who is causing the fear?” You need to wean yourself off the idea that there’s a Bond-style supervillain running everything, even if that idea is emotionally rewarding.
The problem is the system itself. I’m talking institutional criminality!
Once enough people inside an institution learn that misconduct is rewarded, protected, ignored, or buried, nobody has to issue a written order. The incentives do the work. Over time, the machine develops its own institutional survival instinct. Not because it’s alive, but because everyone inside it understands the rules, and people who work inside the system simply optimize for survival, advancement, and protection, or, in Sundance’s parlance, the affluence.
That’s far more dangerous and effective than one villain. A villain can be removed. A corrupted system replaces people faster than you can remove them.
In fact, we cannot defeat the deep state for the same reason we failed to defeat Iran.
Killing Khamenei and 20-30 IRGC commanders would not magically dismantle the Islamic Republic, any more than firing a few dozens of intelligence or DOJ/FBI officials would dismantle entrenched institutional behavior inside parts of the U.S. security apparatus.
The system is the problem: the networks, incentives, internal loyalties, bureaucratic self-preservation, career structures, and institutional culture.
Individuals matter, but the machine matters more. Remove one person and another steps in, because the structure that produced the behavior still exists. We saw it in Congress. We saw it with Trump’s Cabinet members.
But most importantly, we are no more ready to do what would be necessary to defeat Iran than we are ready to do what would be necessary to defeat the deep state.
In the case of the deep state, only a Bukele-style institutional purge would defeat it, and Trump is not ready to do that.
Well, you certainly have an imagination.
Reposting – Looking for feedback on Dan Bishop as replacement DNI. Because 270 days is not enough time to get it all done.
OGDuck
May 24, 2026 3:37 pm
Picking back up the replacement for Tulsi Gabbard thread:
From an April 2026 CITW posting by Sundance:
“Former Representative Dan Bishop is a current U.S. Attorney in North Carolina, and he said it wasn’t fear that screwed up the subcommittee effort as it was republican political leadership stopping the subcommittee from aggressively investigating the whole matter, the big picture.”
Sounds like a volunteer to me.
There is also an article in today’s AT by a former Senate candidate and Navy Judge Advocate promoting Dan Bishop as a replacement DNI. Gives a bigger run down. https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/05/the_perfect_replacement_for_tulsi_gabbard.html
So – any comments from the board on Dan Bishop? I am trying to learn/read more. But he sounds like an interesting candidate.
OGDuck
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/05/the_perfect_replacement_for_tulsi_gabbard.html
Multiple old school fishermen.
Dear Sundance – When you state; ” we are inside every facility, every institution. every meeting , every moment of their existence – and we notice everything;” I have been informed from prior research this is the “Ghost Army” a branch of military intelligence that has existed since WW11 to confuse the enemy in defense of the United States of America. This branch of military intelligence serve clandestinely in the shadows without honor or glory for themselves. They are always two steps ahead of their enemy and ” understand the complexity they create in their effort to conceal.”
We live in amazing times where people we will never meet are changing our world for good, and we get to experience their adventures online.
Be strong and of good courage, Sundance. You have many prayer warriors!
Intense and thorough explanation. Thank you for your work, Sundance! Interesting info about Goss:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Goss
Growing up in Yorktown, Va I was more familiar with Camp Peary. Swim lessons at Ft Eustis pool. Lifeguard certification through lessons at the US Coastguard Base indoor pool. Swim meets at Langley AFB. Spare flat beds from the Naval Weapons Station for high school Homecoming floats. And, of course, we all grew up doing those ridiculous hide under your desk drills during the Cold War drills. One hears some very interesting stories…
None of it matters unless the information released results in actual accountability for the multitude of traitors to the republic.
Where does USAID/NGO’s fit into this picture?
Are they out back diving into the dumpster?
I don’t know who else in the Trump Administration falls into this category, but Trump and Tulsi are singular individuals. She didn’t GAS because she saw how newbies (like her) were given the red carpet treatment until the moment she didn’t go along, and then she was tossed aside. If there are any other such people who don’t GAS and — as Newt put it in 2017 to a Heritage Foundation gathering — are there to kick over tables….. I would like to hear about them and learn what they’re made of.
Paul Ryan was a famous Ayn Rand acolyte….. supposedly. Pence was the modern walking Jesus, so moral he refused to have meeting with women with the office door closed, never went for a meal with anyone but his wife. Gowdy got much applause for his questioning at Bengazi…… etc etc etc
Sarah Palin might be the closest……. for looking oil execs in the eye and making THEM blink, and also for walking away from power instead of holding on like grim death.
Is Mark Warner heaving a sigh of relief ?
John Galts and Howard Roarks are unique and singular individuals. No one follows them.
“Paul Ryan was a famous Ayn Rand acolyte”
Well that makes a lot of sense since he was totally self serving.
Remember Sundance’s list? Dan Bailey of MO. Is he still in the FBI co deputy director position?
Once again Wow! I don’t know what to call it, some kind of new version or type of history that piles up so fast I feel like Lucille Ball in a candy factory.
Anyone remember the name of the person Sundance thought would make a good DNI before Gabbard was put in place?
All I can find was this (but no names suggested):
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/11/09/the-six-ways-from-sunday-problem/
…a few name here…?
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/11/07/trump-transition-team-leaders-indicate-likely-trump-administration-officials/
…maybe this was it:
[…”My gut tells me that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey might be a strong candidate, and as DNI he can build on his reputation for confronting DHS manipulation.”…]
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/11/02/trump-staffing-2025/
That’s it.
Wonder if he still feels the same way.
SD’S PICKS
EMISSARY Ben Carson
NAT’L SECURITY ADVISOR Devin Nunes
WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL Eric Dublier
DIRECTOR NAT’L INTELLIGENCE Andrew Bailey
SECRETARY OF STATE Richard Grenell
CIA DIRECTOR Harriet Hageman
DOJ ATTORNEY GENERAL Ken Paxton
DOJ DEPUTY ATTY GEN Jeff Landry
DOJ DEPUTY ATTY GEN – NAT SEC Sidney Powell
DOJ DEPUTY ATTY GEN – CIVIL RIGHTS Byron Donalds
DOJ COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICE Vivek Ramaswamy
FBI DIRECTOR Clay Higgins
DEPUTY FBI DIRECTOR Kris Kobach
FBI CHIEF LEGAL COUNSIL Tony Buzbee
“MANAGERS” PER SD
John Soloman
Catherine Herridge
Kash Patel
Glenn Beck
Jack Posobiec
Mark Levin
Sean Hannity
Steve Bannon
Charlie Kirk
Ben Shapiro
Great lineup.
especially like Eric dubelier as WH Counsel or somewhere senior in DOJ. It would freak out DC!
” Oh, and yeah, when I was a kid, Porter Goss was my neighbor. ~ Sundance “
Well I didnt know that! Perhaps that explains a lot about why you are, who you are!
Interesting sir!
Her departure is a big setback for the administration and We the People.
We are going to miss you, Tulsi.
Take care of your husband like you have taken care of us and I am sure God will hear your prayers.
May God look with favor on Abraham, and give you both courage to face this fight together.
Why wasn’t the “favor” there in the first place?
Not sure why my stomach has been in knots, but there is something not sitting quite right (lots of background noise going on within me) about Tulsi resigning that I haven’t been able to sort out.
Apparently, many bombs will be dropped on those who deserve it before her resignation. In the meantime, I suppose I’ll just have to hold on with white knuckles while on this roller coaster.
Many prayer’s for our first real ODNI, her husband and our country. Kind of hoping Tulsi will be working from home when time allows, as she cares for her loved one.
thanks for your insights Sundance and for the metaphors to guide our thoughts and understanding of the nature of this big ugly swamp. Very Helpful. Soldier on!
And for Tulsi, mission complete!. Tulsi Gabbard is the hero here, establishing a pure exemplary goto template for the DNI role after getting to the drain, successfully pulling the plug and getting out intact.
i am left wondering where all that polluted swamp water now drains to and what to do with these lumpy cowards exposed and left stuck in the scum of the pond.
I wonder what it is about DNI Gabbard that made her so perfect for the job. I wonder what made her perform the job to its potential. I think it just came naturally to her. She saw what needed to be accomplished and she worked within the system to accomplish her, and our, goals. She’s exceedingly smart and driven. She is compassionate to those who have no power while standing up to those who abuse their power.. She is honest, brave and savvy. I believe she is wise as well. She took a job that had been in existence for over two decades and figured out the way to use it in the best way possible in days. We’ are so lucky to have her hopefully forever transform the job aa force for good and to help this administration accomplish the goal of needed transparency that can uncover the past corruption, malfeasance and actual criminality that harms this nation’s people.
I can’t help but think the deep state criminals gave her husband this rare bone cancer to warn and get her out of their way.
“Continuity of government” is actually Continuity of Corruption inside the Intelligence Community.
TRUE continuity of government should be the guarantee of a GOVERNMENT OF, BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
This follows what Thomas Jefferson described in the Declaration of Independence.
Secret, unaccountable spy agencies with unlimited, secret budgets ARE MORTAL ENEMIES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THEIR FREEDOM. The American system is not supposed to be serving and protecting these dangerous parasites.
The CIA and NSA have utterly failed to protect the people of the USA…their safety and security and freedoms. Our country is being destroyed from within with the BLESSING of these traitorous agencies.
These agencies have been working for DECADES to PREVENT the American people from electing their preferred leaders in fair elections. A true patriot, elected President has triggered these dangerous scoundrels to do everything to destroy and remove him AT ALL COSTS, so he cannot bring the government monster to heel.
What this present continuity of government SCAM is about is ACTUALLY continuity of bureaucracy protecting government TYRANTS and their TYRANNY.
The United States Constitution is the REAL Continuity Framework of the American system of government.
I have read opinions that while Gabbard issued the directives for her office, Aaron Luskar, who will be acting ODNI when Tulsi leaves, did much of the heavy lifting, so that the office is left in good hands. Fingers crossed.
Excellent article. Well done, Sundance, and thank you.
Blessings to you, Tulsi & President Trump.
Only Cabinet member really doing anything meaningful.
God help Tulsi and her husband.
Her departure is a big loss.
She was not on board with military regime change in Iran.
Tulsi Gabbard is a National Treasure! She has the backbone and nerves of steel to take on the Deep State. Never forget that she was on the receiving end , with the TSA and Federal Air Marshall’s shadowing her 24/7. I wish her and her husband the best of health and prosperity in their future endeavors…
Tulsi is brilliant. Doubt there’s any DC person able to match her integrity. Hope she returns!
I pray Tulsi’s husband recovers quickly and completely, so Tulsi can run for President in ’28 or’33