President Trump privately asked cabinet advisers whether Tulsi Gabbard should be removed as Director of National Intelligence after she appeared to defend a former deputy, Joe Kent, who questioned the immediacy of the Iran threat. Officials say no obvious successor is ready, and aides warned that creating a vacancy could spark political distraction. Gabbard’s tenure is complicated by both moments of support from the president and a string of contentious actions that have unsettled White House colleagues.
Trump Privately Asked Advisers Whether To Replace Tulsi Gabbard As DNI
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, on Capitol Hill earlier this month.Photograph: Tom Brenner/AP(Photograph: Tom Brenner/AP)
President Donald Trump privately asked cabinet officials in recent weeks whether he should remove Tulsi Gabbard from her post as Director of National Intelligence, according to two people familiar with the discussions. His frustration reportedly stemmed from Gabbard’s apparent defense of a former deputy, Joe Kent, who publicly questioned the administration’s justification for military action against Iran.
Why Trump Is Frustrated
Officials say the president's doubts followed Gabbard’s testimony at last month’s Worldwide Threats hearing on Capitol Hill, where she declined to condemn Kent after he resigned and asserted that Iran did not present an imminent threat to the United States. The circumstances of Kent’s departure and his criticism of plans to use force had already angered Trump, the people said. They added that he was particularly upset that Gabbard seemed to shield Kent and appeared reluctant to defend the administration’s case for potential strikes.
Political And Personnel Considerations
It is not clear that Trump will actually fire Gabbard. Several advisers warned that there is no obvious successor ready to take the job and that creating a high-profile vacancy before lining up a replacement could spark distracting political turmoil. Still, the fact that the president has been polling aides about her future is widely viewed inside the administration as a worrying sign for Gabbard’s tenure.
When asked whether he still had confidence in Gabbard, Trump gave a qualified response aboard Air Force One: "Yeah, sure. I mean, she’s a little bit different in her thought process than me, but that doesn’t make somebody not available to serve." White House spokesperson Steven Cheung later issued a statement backing Gabbard’s record and saying the president has confidence in her work.
Gabbard’s Record And Controversies
Inside the administration, officials acknowledged that Gabbard has often been tasked with difficult assignments and has at times struggled to define the role of DNI, which traditionally involves overseeing the U.S. intelligence community and managing internal rivalries. Her testimony that troubled the president aligned with her long-standing opposition to U.S. entanglement in foreign wars and with comments she made to Congress in 2019 questioning the legality of pre-emptive strikes.
People familiar with the matter said parts of her recent testimony had been coordinated with intelligence officials in advance, and that she has been spending extensive time at the White House in connection with the Iran situation. Gabbard has also had moments of favor from Trump, including producing an official report concluding that Russia did not work to boost his 2016 campaign at the expense of Hillary Clinton—a finding that differed from some congressional inquiries.
At the same time, critics point to a string of perceived missteps. Last June, Trump was reportedly irritated by a video Gabbard recorded after visiting Hiroshima in which she warned about the horrors of nuclear war. Weeks later, Trump publicly contradicted her after she told lawmakers Iran had not yet decided to build a nuclear weapon; he then authorized strikes on Iranian enrichment sites at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz, according to the reporting. Gabbard also drew ire after revoking security clearances for 37 people, including congressional aides, before the West Wing had confirmed she had the authority to do so. Allies later accused the CIA of trying to manufacture grounds for her removal, a dispute the White House helped mediate into a truce.
"Over the past two weeks, President Trump said both that he has confidence in the DNI and that she did well at her hearings before Congress. She remains committed to fulfilling the responsibilities the president placed in her," said Olivia Coleman, a spokesperson for Gabbard.
As of now, administration officials say no final personnel decision has been made. The discussions underscore the political balancing act facing the White House as it weighs loyalty, public messaging and the practical need for steady leadership of the intelligence community.
Help us improve.
