Photo by: Jeff J. Newman/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
A wild new story on former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her Hare Krishna guru’s influence on her policy actions has sent shockwaves through social media.
Sunday’s Washington Post article by investigative journalist Jon Swaine comes just days after Gabbard stepped down to manage her husband’s cancer treatments.
Swaine wrote that Gabbard grew up in “eccentric religious leader” Chris Butler’s breakaway Hare Krishna group that has been described by some ex-members as a “cult,” although the group denies that characterization.
Swaine set out on a year-long investigation to learn whether the “reclusive guru been secretly trying to steer Gabbard’s actions as a public official.” He reviewed tends of thousands of documents, declaring that “Their content was extraordinary.”
“Dozens of attached memos appeared to document directives and advice for Gabbard from her time in Congress. Some contained instructions on what legislation she should propose, which policies she should embrace and how she should conduct herself on television. They had an air of authority,” Swaine wrote.
Research fellow Kareem Rifai wrote on social media, “This is an utterly insane story: 25,000 documents reviewed by WaPo indicate that throughout Tulsi’s career, her political moves were controlled by her guru, cult leader Chris Butler. This woman was leading the world’s largest intelligence apparatus.”
This is an utterly insane story: 25,000 documents reviewed by WaPo indicate that throughout Tulsi's career, her political moves were controlled by her guru, cult leader Chris Butler.
This woman was leading the world's largest intelligence apparatus.https://t.co/6Enu7JgMgR
— Kareem Rifai 🌐 (@KareemRifai) June 21, 2026
The Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum wrote, “So @jonswaine @washingtonpost has seen hundreds of documents containing evidence that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, was directed throughout her career by the leader of the cult she grew up in.”
The Atlantic’s Shane Harris hailed Swaine’s “Extraordinary new reporting,” while former WaPo reporter said Swaine’s investigation, “presents powerful evidence that director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was deeply under the sway of her lifelong guru, a cultic leader who told her what to say and how to say it.”
Extraordinary new reporting from @jonswaine convincingly shows that for years, Tulsi Gabbard's guru, Chris Butler, and disciples around him have been steering her policy agenda, writing her public remarks, and shaping her as a political candidate.
— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) June 21, 2026
Former WaPo reporter Marc Fisher wrote that Swaine’s investigation “presents powerful evidence that director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was deeply under the sway of her lifelong guru, a cultic leader who told her what to say and how to say it.”
New Washington Post investigation by @jonswaine presents powerful evidence that director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was deeply under the sway of her lifelong guru, a cultic leader who told her what to say and how to say it https://t.co/xU8t8O8wat
— Marc Fisher (@mffisher) June 21, 2026
More reactions below:
A story that's somehow wild and totally unsurprising
I compared the content of the memos against Gabbard’s record in the House and I found unmistakable parallels. The main speaker in a 2014 memo pressed for her to propose legislation penalizing countries with citizens who had…
— Jonathan Martin (@jmart) June 21, 2026
Fascinating article in the Washington Post today. It’s an investigation into a secretive Hare Krishna breakaway sect to which Tulsi Gabbard belonged and which influenced and controlled her political career —the Science of Identity Foundation (SIF).
The story originates from a…
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) June 21, 2026
Tulsi Gabbard followed the advice of her Hare Krishna “Guru” Chris Butler for years on what to say, what bills to introduce and what policy positions to push, according to this new WaPo exposé. The writer found hundreds of thousands of pages of damning emails. Shocking stuff.
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) June 21, 2026
Insane story. Though-many knew that this cult-like group eats toenails and does all sorts of weird shit. Ask anyone who lives in Hawaii. I guess about time someone finally reported it. Though the influence of this group on a cabinet member is unsettling to say the least. Also,… https://t.co/1jtNlCJ4LI
— Marc Polymeropoulos (@Mpolymer) June 21, 2026
This story is BONKERS. Read it, with the context that Every Single Republican Senator voted to confirm Tulsi as DNI. https://t.co/iP2x1SLZEp
— Sean Casten (@SeanCasten) June 21, 2026
Impressive 18 month investigation.
“Tulsi Gabbard, her guru and the mysterious messages that helped shape her political career
I obtained hundreds of confidential memos detailing politics and policy guidance for Gabbard from her years in Congress, then embarked on a quest to…
— Sue O'Connell: COMMENTATOR, not a reporter (@SueOC_NBCBoston) June 21, 2026
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