A whistleblower complaint accusing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of wrongdoing is now being linked to an intercepted conversation between two foreign nationals discussing a person close to President Donald Trump, according to the whistleblower’s attorney.

The attorney, Andrew Bakaj, said the intercepted call involved two foreign citizens believed to be associated with foreign intelligence agencies. He also said the president’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, was among the administration officials who had access to the intelligence.

The whistleblower alleges that the distribution of the intelligence report was restricted within the administration for political reasons, a claim outlined in a complaint filed in May with the intelligence community’s inspector general. In June, the whistleblower requested that the complaint be shared with Congress. It was not delivered to lawmakers until last week, a delay that has become a central point of contention.

The New York Times first reported details of the intercepted conversation, while The Wall Street Journal first reported the existence of the whistleblower complaint.

Bakaj has accused Gabbard of moving too slowly to transmit the complaint to Congress and of attempting to shield it from legislative oversight. Gabbard has forcefully denied the accusations, calling the complaint politically motivated and saying her office acted appropriately and within the law.

Democrats in Congress have criticized how the complaint was handled, focusing particularly on the delay and the extent of redactions rather than the substance of the allegations themselves. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said the version shared with lawmakers was heavily redacted, limiting their ability to assess the claims.

The inspector general’s office has issued mixed findings. An initial review said it could not determine whether the allegation that intelligence distribution was restricted for political reasons was credible. A later assessment, citing new evidence, concluded that the allegation did not appear credible — a finding that has not ended the dispute.

Under U.S. law, intelligence whistleblowers are entitled to confidentiality. Bakaj has said his client is prepared to meet directly with lawmakers to explain concerns about how the complaint was handled. But the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has warned that Bakaj does not have the legal authority to brief Congress independently.

In a letter from ODNI general counsel Jack Dever, the agency rejected claims that the complaint was hidden from Congress and said appropriate security guidance had already been provided. “Your claim a right to go to Congress pursuant to the law is incorrect,” Dever wrote.

That letter was later posted online by Whistleblower Aid, a nonprofit assisting the whistleblower. In response, Bakaj wrote to the leaders of the congressional intelligence committees, saying his team continues to seek clearer guidance from the DNI and would welcome congressional involvement in pressing for answers.