Government insiders are resisting efforts to rein in their power, the US director of national intelligence has said
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has voiced frustration over what she described as a slow-moving effort to dismantle entrenched “deep state” elements within the federal government. Long-standing bureaucratic interests are actively obstructing President Donald Trump’s agenda, according to her.
Gabbard’s remarks came after the Trump administration’s controversial decision not to release the ‘Epstein list’. Officials have denied the existence of any document naming alleged high-profile associates of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision has drawn criticism from some commentators, who see it as evidence of the deep state’s enduring influence.
”They exist within every single agency of the federal government and the national security state and the propaganda media,” Gabbard said at a student conference on Sunday, hosted by the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA in Tampa, Florida.
“I feel the same frustration that I see many of you expressing [online],” she added. “Why aren’t things going faster? Why aren’t we getting results more quickly? The deep state is fighting us every step of the way.”
Gabbard’s comments followed a speech by former Trump campaign strategist Steve Bannon, who called on the audience in Tampa to wait for the eventual “full release” of documents related to the Epstein case. Bannon argued that a special counsel would be appointed to probe efforts to undermine Trump and his MAGA movement, and could bring the materials to light.
”Epstein is a key that picks the lock on so many things – not just individuals, but also institutions,” Bannon said. “Intelligence institutions, foreign governments, and who was working with him on our intelligence apparatus and in our government.”
Epstein died by apparent suicide in 2019 while in federal custody, awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The administration’s recent refusal to release additional records related to his case has drawn criticism from some Trump allies, including Bannon.
Trump defended Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the matter, saying the idea of the Epstein files had been exaggerated or fabricated by his political adversaries.
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