NSA says it is investigating potential misuse of chat platform

The National Security Agency said it is investigating alleged misuses of a chat program it administers, as the country’s newly installed spy chief said more than 100 intelligence officers had been fired over the matter.

“NSA is aware of posts that appear to show inappropriate discussions by IC personnel. IC collaboration platforms are intended to drive mission outcomes,” the spy agency said on Tuesday in a post on X “Potential misuse of these platforms by a small group of individuals does not represent the community. Investigations to address this misuse of government systems are ongoing.”

The agency-run program is meant to be used by the clandestine community to discuss security matters, however a group of individuals used it to talk about sexually-explicit topics, according to sources familiar with the matter. 

The alleged abuse was first disclosed by a right-wing activist.

In an interview Tuesday night on Fox News, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said she had ordered the firing of over 100 people “from across the intelligence community that contributed to and participated in what is really just an egregious violation of trust.”

Those involved were “brazen in using an NSA platform intended for professional use to conduct this kind of really, really horrific behavior,” according to Gabbard.

She said members of the spy community have informed her of more inappropriate activity since she announced the terminations “because they are all on board with the mission to clean house and refocus on our core mission of serving the American people.”