Oh, the drama! It seems like Jesse Watters, a well-known face on Fox News, stirred up quite a hornets’ nest when he dropped a bombshell on his evening show. On May 13th, he reported something pretty wild: that the CIA had supposedly raided Tulsi Gabbard’s office. Now, for anyone who keeps up with political happenings, that’s a huge claim. And as it turns out, it was quickly and unequivocally debunked as “false” information by officials. Can you imagine the buzz that must have created amongst his viewers? It’s like hearing a juicy piece of gossip, only for it to be completely untrue later.
Let’s rewind a bit to understand why this claim about Tulsi Gabbard was so significant. Tulsi Gabbard isn’t just any political figure; she’s currently the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Think of her as the head honcho overseeing all 18 of the United States’ intelligence agencies – that’s a massive portfolio that includes the likes of the CIA, the NSA, and even the FBI’s national security branch. She’s also the main intelligence advisor to President Donald Trump. So, for her office to be raided by one of the agencies she oversees? That’s not just a big deal; it’s practically an internal power struggle portrayed as an act of defiance. Before taking on this incredibly sensitive role for Trump, Gabbard had a fascinating political journey herself. She was a Democrat, even running for president under the party’s banner, before making the jump to become a Republican in 2024. This political evolution adds another layer of intrigue to any story involving her, especially one that suggests conflict with government institutions.
So, what exactly did Jesse Watters claim? He alleged that on that Monday, documents were seized from Gabbard’s office. He dramatically told Fox News viewers, “Tulsi Gabbard’s office. Agents hauled out dozens of boxes, files on the JFK assassination and MKUltra, the CIA mind control operation, which she was in the process of declassifying.” Now, for anyone even vaguely familiar with these topics, they’re truly the stuff of conspiracy theories and decades-old government secrets. The JFK assassination and MKUltra are two of the most enduring mysteries in American history, shrouded in classified information and endless speculation. Watters further fueled the fire by stating that this information came from a “whistleblower” during his deposition, and was then confirmed by Anna Paulina Luna moments before. He even played a clip of Luna saying, “The reason why this is troubling is A) the president had an executive order which had directed the full declassification of JFK, but also the MKUltra files. The CIA has famously said that all documents have been released and other documents have been destroyed. So these are allegedly the documents that had never existed.” It paints a picture of a rogue CIA trying to prevent the truth from coming out, clashing directly with the DNI and even the President’s executive order. It’s the kind of story that gets people talking, speculating, and, as we’ll see, raging.
To add some “expert” perspective, Watters brought on former CIA officer John Kiriakou to his show, “Jesse Watters Primetime.” During their discussion, Kiriakou pretty much dismantled Watters’ explosive claims. He made it crystal clear: the CIA simply cannot “overrule” the president, and certainly not the Director of National Intelligence. It’s a matter of hierarchy and legal authority. He also delved into the infamous destruction of the MKUltra files back in the 1970s. He explained that the then-Director of Central Intelligence did destroy a staggering 85% of those documents. However, he clarified that the files mentioned by the supposed whistleblower were likely from the remaining 15% – hinting that these wouldn’t be “newly discovered” documents as implied. Most damningly, Kiriakou stated unequivocally, “The CIA can’t raid offices, least of all the office of the Director of National Intelligence.” This is a critical point: the CIA operates under specific legal constraints and does not have the authority to conduct raids on US soil, especially not on a federal official of Gabbard’s stature. It’s a bit like saying the accounting department raided the CEO’s office – it just doesn’t work that way.
The immediate aftermath of Watters’ broadcast was, predictably, a firestorm. Olivia Coleman, the DNI Press Secretary, wasted no time in publicly shutting down the rumor. She took to X (formerly Twitter) and declared, “This is false—the CIA did not raid the DNI’s office.” This official denial directly contradicted Watters’ report, leaving his audience to grapple with the conflicting narratives. And grapple they did. Many took to social media, expressing a mix of anger, disbelief, and even a bit of schadenfreude at Watters’ expense. One X user, clearly exasperated, pointed out the obvious: “CIA doesn’t have a raid team, this is foolish.” Another, perhaps seeing through the sensationalism, wrote, “This is false but you’re getting good clicks and engagement so I assume you don’t care.” There was genuine frustration, with one person fuming, “What is wrong with you, Jesse?… You are completely misrepresenting the facts.” And a very well-informed viewer provided a crucial piece of information, stating, “CIA has NO authority to raid anyone on US soil, dummy. You got played again. Look up: National Security Act of 1947.” The viewers, it seems, were not as easily swayed as Watters might have hoped, quickly identifying the holes in his dramatic story and calling him out for it. It just goes to show that in today’s information age, even a powerful news anchor can’t get away with spreading unsubstantiated claims without a swift and vocal backlash.
In essence, Jesse Watters’ breaking news story about a CIA raid on Tulsi Gabbard’s office turned out to be a classic case of misinformation. Despite its initial dramatic appeal, the claims were quickly debunked by officials and even by an expert on his own show. The idea that the CIA would or could raid the office of the Director of National Intelligence, especially over declassified documents, simply doesn’t align with how these agencies operate. The ensuing public outcry from Fox News viewers highlights a growing demand for factual accuracy, even from their preferred news sources. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of critical thinking and verifying information, especially when it sounds too wild to be true.