U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has levelled serious allegations against Ellen Nakashima. Ellen Nakashima is a veteran national security reporter at The Washington Post, accusing her of harassing officials and using deceptive tactics to extract sensitive information.
In a social media post, Gabbard claimed Nakashima contacted high-ranking officers from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) using a burner phone, bypassed official communication channels, and misrepresented her identity.
“It has come to my attention that Washington Post reporter @nakashimae appears to be actively harassing ODNI staff,” Gabbard posted on X.
“Instead of reaching out to my press office, she is calling high-level Intelligence Officers from a burner phone, refusing to identify herself, lying about the fact that she works for the Washington Post, and then demanding they share sensitive information.”
Gabbard also alleged that the reporter had previously harassed her family:
“This is a clear political op by the same outlet and the same reporter who harassed and stalked my family in Hawaii,” she wrote.
Calling the behavior a part of a broader media agenda, she added:
“This kind of deranged behaviour reflects a media establishment so desperate to sabotage @POTUS’s successful agenda that they’ve abandoned even a facade of journalistic integrity and ethics. The Washington Post should be ashamed, and they should put an end to this immediately.”
Washington Post Responds: ‘Basic Journalism, Not Harassment’
In response, The Washington Post issued a strong defense of Nakashima. Matt Murray, the paper’s executive editor, released a statement that praised her work and rejected the accusations.
“For three decades, Ellen Nakashima has been one of the most careful, fair-minded, and highly regarded reporters covering national security,” said Murray, according to The Hill.
“Reaching out to potential sources rather than relying solely on official government press statements regarding matters of public interest is neither nefarious nor is it harassment. It is basic journalism.”
Murray further described Gabbard’s statements as:
“Unfounded” and “personal,” adding that it “reflects a fundamental misunderstanding about the role of journalists to report on government officials and hold power to account, without fear or favour and regardless of party.”
Background and Rising Tensions
Ellen Nakashima has been with The Washington Post since 1995 and has reported extensively on national security. She has been part of teams that won multiple Pulitzer Prizes for investigations into the Capitol riots, Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the NSA’s surveillance activities.
The confrontation adds to the growing friction between government officials and journalists. In June, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth criticised media outlets, alleging that their reporting was undermining military efforts. Similarly, President Donald Trump demanded that CNN fire reporter Natasha Bertrand over her coverage of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
CNN responded publicly, stating it stood:
“100% behind Natasha Bertrand’s journalism.”
As this debate unfolds, it raises renewed questions about the boundaries of press freedom, journalistic ethics, and the responsibilities of public officials in a highly polarised environment.
