Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is now reportedly raising serious concerns about the handling of sensitive government records, alleging that intelligence officials removed key documents tied to some of the nation’s most controversial historical programs.
Speaking Wednesday on NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich Tonight, Luna claimed that personnel from the CIA entered a facility connected to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and took multiple boxes of documents. According to Luna, the files in question relate to both the MK-ULTRA program and the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy.
Luna said the development is particularly troubling given a presidential directive ordering the full declassification of records tied to the Kennedy assassination. She also pointed to longstanding claims by the CIA that documents related to MK-ULTRA had either been released or destroyed. The existence of additional materials, she suggested, raises new questions about what information has remained out of public view.
“We were actually just notified,” Luna said, describing what she characterized as the removal of documents from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She added that her office is working quickly to respond, noting that she had spoken with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and that a formal request to preserve relevant records was being prepared.
Luna also said she had contacted the White House and attempted to reach CIA leadership directly, signaling that lawmakers are seeking answers at the highest levels. As the situation develops, she indicated that further updates would be provided, describing the circumstances as unusual and concerning.
During the interview, host Katie Pavlich pressed Luna on whether the CIA had the authority to access and remove documents from another intelligence office. Luna responded that the agency does not have the authority to act in contradiction to an executive order from the president. She suggested that the timing of the incident—while the president was out of the country and CIA Director John Ratcliffe was reportedly traveling with him—added to the confusion.
Luna went further, describing the situation as resembling an “internal coup,” a characterization that underscores the level of concern among some lawmakers about how intelligence agencies operate behind the scenes.
Following the broadcast, Pavlich issued a clarification, noting that the incident did not occur this week but rather last year, during a government shutdown. She also emphasized that the removal of the documents was “not a raid,” but confirmed that the materials have not been returned.
In a subsequent update, Pavlich said individuals from the CIA had taken documents related to the Kennedy assassination and MK-ULTRA from the National Reconnaissance Office during that period and have continued to withhold them. According to her account, the documents’ absence has prevented them from being declassified and prepared for public release.
The episode highlights an ongoing tension between transparency and national security, particularly when it comes to decades-old programs that continue to fuel public skepticism. While intelligence agencies often argue that secrecy is necessary, critics contend that prolonged withholding of historical records only deepens mistrust.
As questions linger, the situation reflects a broader challenge in Washington: ensuring accountability within powerful institutions while navigating the complexities of classified information. For many observers, the unanswered questions surrounding these documents serve as a reminder that even long after events have passed, the fight over what the public is allowed to know is far from over.
[READ MORE: GOP Lawmaker Says Family Felt Fallout of DOJ Probe, Warns Against Government Overreach]
