The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has forcefully denied reports that the CIA raided its office, with a spokesperson for Director Tulsi Gabbard calling the allegations baseless.
Olivia Coleman, Gabbard’s spokesperson, took to social media platform X to push back against what she described as false claims. “This is false. The CIA did not raid the DNI’s office,” she wrote, referencing a now-deleted post from Fox News host Jesse Watters that had sparked the controversy.
Watters had cited comments from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who alleged that files related to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy and the CIA’s Project MK-ULTRA were seized from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in Virginia. Luna, chair of the House Oversight Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, argued that the alleged raid was troubling because President Trump had issued an executive order calling for the full declassification of JFK and MK-ULTRA documents.
“Famously the CIA said that all documents were released and other documents had been destroyed,” Luna said during an appearance on NewsNation’s “Katie Pavlich Tonight.” “So, these are allegedly those documents that apparently never existed.”
The NRO, which periodically reviews historical records for declassification, has not confirmed any such seizure. Luna noted that she personally called CIA Director John Ratcliffe to discuss the alleged FBI raid, but no official confirmation has emerged from either agency.
MK-ULTRA, a CIA program launched in 1953 to study behavioral modification, has long been a magnet for conspiracy theories. The program’s files have been the subject of renewed interest after the Daily Mail reported that a new report on the intelligence service’s mind control studies was added to the CIA reading room last year.
Luna’s task force is expected to hold a hearing on MK-ULTRA files later this month, adding to the political drama surrounding the issue. The pushback from ODNI comes amid broader tensions over transparency and declassification, with some GOP lawmakers accusing intelligence agencies of stonewalling.
The incident has also drawn attention to the role of media in amplifying unverified claims. Watters’ deleted post and Luna’s allegations have fueled speculation, but the ODNI’s swift denial underscores the challenge of separating fact from fiction in the current political climate.
For context, the controversy unfolds against a backdrop of other high-stakes political battles. For instance, FBI Director Patel faces Senate grilling over a $12.5 billion budget request amid drinking allegations, highlighting the scrutiny on intelligence agencies. Similarly, Trump’s appointment of ICE veteran Dave Venturella as acting director reflects ongoing enforcement turmoil. Meanwhile, Iran war pushes April inflation to 3.8%, hitting Trump ahead of midterms, adding economic pressure to the political mix.
As the story develops, the ODNI’s denial is likely to be tested by further investigations. For now, Gabbard’s office has drawn a firm line, insisting that the reported raid never happened.
