By Kanishka Singh and Jonathan Landay

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Tuesday that she had revoked security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence professionals whom she accused of “politicizing and manipulating intelligence.”

Gabbard said in a social media statement that the action was taken at President Donald Trump’s direction.

Gabbard has repeatedly alleged weaponization of the U.S. intelligence community, and last month the U.S. Department of Justice said it was forming a strike force to assess her claims.

Trump has leaped on recent comments from Gabbard in which she threatened to refer officials from the administration of Democratic former President Barack Obama to the Justice Department for prosecution over an intelligence assessment of Russian interference in U.S. elections.

Republican Trump has accused Obama, without providing evidence, of leading an effort to falsely tie him to Russia and undermine his 2016 presidential campaign. A spokesperson for Obama had denounced Trump’s claims, saying, “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”

It was not clear if all of those on the list released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence – including a former spokesperson for Obama’s National Security Council and Biden’s coordinator for global COVID response – had indeed served as intelligence professionals.

An ODNI spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about the backgrounds of those whose security clearances had been revoked. 

Gabbard says there was a “treasonous conspiracy” in 2016 by top Obama officials to undermine Trump, claims that Democrats called false and politically motivated. Trump won the 2016 election.

An assessment by the U.S. intelligence community published in January 2017 concluded that Russia, using social media disinformation, hacking, and Russian bot farms, sought to damage Democrat Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and bolster Trump.

The assessment determined the actual impact was likely limited and showed no evidence that Moscow’s efforts changed voting outcomes. Russia has denied it attempted to interfere in U.S. elections.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Rod Nickel and Stephen Coates)