The Briefing with Jen Psaki: Jared Kushner Emerges as Focus of Intel Whistleblower Complaint about Gabbard

Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Jen Psaki (MS NOW)
Featured Guests: Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Andrew Buckai (Attorney for Whistleblower)

Episode Overview

This episode tackles several urgent political crises facing the Trump administration: growing connections between senior officials and the Epstein files, the chaotic and violent conclusion to the administration's immigration “surge” operations in Minnesota, and a bombshell whistleblower complaint implicating Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Jared Kushner in possible intelligence suppression. Jen Psaki interviews key figures in the Minnesota immigration fight and provides detailed coverage of the emerging whistleblower story that could impact Jared Kushner and the Trump administration.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State of the Trump Administration: Unfolding Scandals and Losses

• Chaotic week for the Trump administration:

  • Trump questioned about Jeffrey Epstein connections, deflects blame (02:20-02:37).

  • Multiple Trump cabinet officials and associates are implicated in newly-released Epstein files.

  • Dr. Mehmet Oz (Medicare/Medicaid administrator) invited Epstein to a 2016 party, long after his conviction (03:00-03:58).

    “The number of people in Trump's orbit who associated with Epstein really does seem to grow by the day. There’s a new story every day...”
    — Jen Psaki (03:58)

• Backlash and instability:

  • Protests erupt during DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s appearance in California, drowning her out with "Shame!" chants (04:32).

  • Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi comes under bipartisan fire in Congress for evasiveness and outbursts during hearings on Epstein files (05:22).

    “At one point, she even tried to deflect a question about why she hadn’t charged any of Epstein’s associates by saying that this was all a distraction from the Dow breaking 50,000 points. And yes, it was as awkward as it sounds.”
    — Jen Psaki (05:40)

• Policy defeats:

  • Trump’s tariffs face rare bipartisan House defeat (06:12).

  • Federal courts rebuke multiple Trump policies—especially relating to immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.

    “They keep losing in court. The entire cabinet is a dumpster fire. And they cannot shake the lingering stink of the Epstein files. They’re weak right now and, and they know it.”
    — Jen Psaki (09:25)

2. Minnesota Immigration “Surge” Ends: Local Reactions & Calls for Accountability

• Trump Administration’s “retreat”:

  • Tom Homan announces ICE and Border Patrol are ending their immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis (10:37).

  • Local officials, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Klobuchar (13:12), and Attorney General Keith Ellison, remain skeptical and demand full withdrawal and accountability.

    “We should all be hopeful. But I’m going to believe that when I see that... What still needs to happen? We’re going to talk about what that announcement does and doesn’t mean for the situation on the ground there.”
    — Jen Psaki (00:50)

• Emotional testimony on local impact:

  • Generational trauma from enforcement, lasting economic harm, and unresolved deaths (11:40-12:28).

    “They left us with deep damage, generational trauma. They left us with economic ruin... Where are our children?”
    — Andrew Buckai on local sentiment (11:42-11:59)

• Klobuchar on priorities and next steps:

  • Demands for justice in the deaths of Alex Preddy and Renee Good

  • Critique of ICE's massive budget and its use for "terrorizing" citizens rather than law enforcement or public benefit (13:39-15:45)

  • Klobuchar welcomes the ICE drawdown but insists on stringent local oversight, reform, and a re-focusing of spending toward public goods.

    “For us, this was about the people of Minnesota standing up, staring them down like I don’t think anyone ever had seen before... Accountability for the deaths of Alex Preddy and for Renee Goode.”
    — Senator Amy Klobuchar (13:43)

    “$75 billion for an agency. What did they use that money for? Dragging little Liam out and sending him to Texas and bringing him back. $75 billion to surround schools and scare kids.”
    — Senator Amy Klobuchar (15:16)

3. Epstein Fallout and Calls for Resignations

• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick under fire:

  • Lutnick admits to visiting Epstein’s island; Senators demand resignation (20:10-20:34).

  • Klobuchar and Psaki express disbelief at officials’ “amnesia” and lack of candor.

    “I would remember when I went to an island on a private plane... And they just don’t seem to remember this in the past. And in fact, the fact that they haven’t been honest about it, that they’ve been hiding it...”
    — Senator Amy Klobuchar (20:36–20:49)

• Lack of transparency and accountability:

  • Congressional hearings remain tense and unproductive; victims lack answers and justice.
  • Klobuchar and Psaki criticize the administration for monitoring Congressional review of files and blocking meaningful investigation (20:49-22:32).

4. Pursuing Justice for Minnesota Victims

• Legal avenues and obstacles:

  • Minnesota courts win 75% of cases against Trump federal actions (22:56).

  • Ongoing investigations into the deaths of Alex Preddy and Renee Good, but the federal government stonewalls state investigators.

  • Attorney General Keith Ellison details continued lack of cooperation from DOJ/DHS, especially in the Renee Good case (26:48-29:52).

    “In the Renee Good matter, we still don’t have access to things like shell casings, the car, the gun and other, any statements that may have been acquired or anything like that.”
    — Keith Ellison (27:55-28:20)

    “Let me be clear. I don’t think it’s the local authorities who are saying this. I think this is a call from Washington, maybe the highest authority in the land.”
    — Keith Ellison (29:18-29:52)

5. Whistleblower Complaint: Gabbard, Kushner & Suppressed Intel

• Emergence of the whistleblower complaint:

  • Anonymous intelligence community whistleblower alleges that DNI Tulsi Gabbard suppressed a report about Jared Kushner—centered on a conversation between two foreign nationals discussing Kushner and (reportedly) Iran (34:49-37:11).

  • Allegations that Gabbard limited sharing of this content for political purposes; Gabbard denies wrongdoing.

  • NSA General Counsel accused of failing to report a potential crime raised by the intercepted conversation.

    “The whistleblower alleges that Gabbard limited the sharing of that content for political purposes, an allegation Gabbard fiercely denies and which her spokeswoman claims is baseless and politically motivated.”
    — Jen Psaki (35:56-36:12)

• Kushner’s background:

  • Recap of Kushner's global financial entanglements and diplomatic “volunteering,” including huge investments from Middle Eastern sovereign funds, and simultaneous informal diplomatic activity (36:32-37:26).

    “Even Kushner himself does not shy away from saying what makes his firm such a unique and attractive investment...”
    — Jen Psaki (37:06)

    “We’re able to do things on the geopolitical side, on the connection side, on the problem-solving side that I think that they found very valuable as well.”
    — Jared Kushner, audio replayed on the show (37:18)

• Legal and procedural breakdown with Andrew Buckai (Attorney for the Whistleblower):

  • Gabbard’s “credibility” defense has no bearing on the whistleblower’s legal right to contact Congress (38:51-39:50).

  • The complaint path was proper; Gabbard allegedly installed loyalists in the IG’s office after whistleblower’s initial report—potential intimidation or control of process (41:22-42:25).

    “That credibility determination has no bearing on our client’s right to take this to Congress by law... In my opinion, that’s a questionable way to define or figure out credibility.”
    — Andrew Buckai (38:51-39:42)

    “The whistleblower first reached out to the Intelligence Committee IGS ... in mid April of last year... On May 9th, ... Gabbard put [her ally] into the IG’s office. ... Disclosure by the whistleblower was filed on May 21.”
    — Andrew Buckai (41:54–42:25)

• Serious national security implications:

  • The report appears to involve potentially criminal activity and intelligence that should have been shared more widely.

  • Allegation that Gabbard may have shared it out of process with political allies (e.g., Susie Wiles), not Congress.

  • Raises echoes of post-9/11 “stovepiping”—failure to share intelligence across agencies (43:14-43:55).

    “We have the director of National Intelligence ... going in and preventing the distribution of that intelligence. And the question is, why is that?”
    — Andrew Buckai (43:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:58 | Jen Psaki | “The number of people in Trump's orbit who associated with Epstein really does seem to grow by the day...” | | 05:40 | Jen Psaki | “She tried to deflect a question ... as a distraction from the Dow breaking 50,000 points. And yes, it was as awkward as it sounds.” | | 11:42 | Andrew Buckai | “They left us with deep damage, generational trauma... In some cases, they left us with many unanswered questions. Where are our children?” | | 13:43 | Amy Klobuchar | “For us, this was about the people of Minnesota standing up, staring them down like I don’t think anyone ever had seen before…” | | 15:16 | Amy Klobuchar | “$75 billion for an agency. What did they use that money for? Dragging little Liam out and sending him to Texas and bringing him back.” | | 20:36 | Amy Klobuchar | “I would remember when I went to an island on a private plane... And they just don’t seem to remember this in the past.” | | 27:55 | Keith Ellison | “In the Renee Good matter, we still don’t have access to things like shell casings, the car, the gun and other ... any statements that may have been acquired or anything like that.” | | 38:51 | Andrew Buckai | “That credibility determination has no bearing on our client’s right to take this to Congress by law.” | | 41:54 | Andrew Buckai | “The whistleblower first reached out to the Intelligence Committee IGS officer ... in mid April of last year. ... On May 9th, Gabbard put [her ally] into the IG’s office.” | | 43:55 | Andrew Buckai | “We have the director of National Intelligence ... preventing the distribution of that intelligence. And the question is, why is that?” |

Important Timestamps & Segments

• 00:50–09:25: Breakdown of the Trump Administration’s mounting legal, political, and public defeats.
• 10:37–13:12: Tom Homan’s retreat announcement, immediate critical reactions from Minnesota leaders.
• 13:12–19:16: Amy Klobuchar interview—community resistance, trauma, next steps for Minnesota.
• 20:10–22:32: Discussion of Commerce Secretary Lutnick/Epstein, Congressional accountability.
• 22:56–24:01: Klobuchar on legal levers for accountability, segue to Attorney General Ellison.
• 26:48–29:52: Keith Ellison testifies about federal stonewalling, lack of justice for victims.
• 34:49–37:26: Introduction and context for the Gabbard/Kushner whistleblower complaint.
• 38:30–44:01: In-depth interview with attorney Andrew Buckai on the whistleblower allegations, legal procedures, and national security implications.

Takeaways for Listeners

• The Trump administration is in deep political and legal turmoil—dogged by Epstein file revelations, street-level fury over immigration enforcement, and high-profile court defeats.
• In Minnesota, the end of the immigration “surge” is only part of the story; community trauma and demands for justice persist, and accountability for violence remains unresolved.
• The whistleblower complaint about intelligence suppression involving Tulsi Gabbard and Jared Kushner could become a major new scandal, particularly given Kushner’s many financial conflicts and diplomatic activities.
• Both local and federal Democratic leaders continue to push for answers, recounting bureaucratic obstruction and demanding transparency.
• Legal experts stress the importance of whistleblower protections for national security and democracy.

The Briefing with Jen Psaki delivers timely, deeply reported coverage of scandals threatening the Trump administration’s stability—giving listeners both a comprehensive overview and granular detail from frontline officials, legal experts, and investigative journalists.