A cutting internal joke is circulating within the White House, branding the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, with the acronym 'Do Not Invite'. This barb emerged after Gabbard was conspicuously absent from the planning and execution of the high-stakes military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro over the weekend of January 3-4, 2026.
Operation Absolute Resolve and a Deliberate Exclusion
President Donald Trump's orders for Operation Absolute Resolve were strictly on a need-to-know basis, and according to sources, Gabbard was deemed not to need to know. Secretary of State Marco Rubio specifically pushed for the former Democratic congresswoman to be excluded from the Venezuela raid discussions, two sources confirmed to the Wall Street Journal.
While Gabbard was sidelined, CIA Director John Ratcliffe took a front-and-centre role. He was prominently featured in photographs beamed out from the Mar-a-Lago situation room on Saturday, January 3, as the President monitored the unfolding mission. Trump is increasingly relying on Ratcliffe for crucial intelligence updates, showing a clear preference over his official top intelligence adviser.
A History of Discord and Peaceful Posts
The decision to sideline Gabbard appears rooted in her long-standing foreign policy views. In 2019, as a congresswoman for Hawaii, she staunchly opposed American intervention in Venezuela. As recently as December 2025, she was criticising 'warmongers' intent on pushing the US into conflict. The White House reportedly feared Gabbard would not support the action, sources told Bloomberg.
This stands in stark contrast to her public persona during the operation. While the raid was underway, Gabbard's Instagram feed showed her doing yoga and preaching peace from a beach in Hawaii. 'My heart is filled with gratitude, aloha, and peace,' she posted on January 1. She remained silent on the Venezuela mission for three days, unusual for a frequent Fox News guest and outspoken Trump supporter on social media.
Reactions and Rebuttals
The snub has raised eyebrows among national security professionals. Retired US Air Force intelligence colonel Cedric Leighton stated it is 'highly unusual for the DNI not to be involved in any of these operations, especially something like Venezuela.' He added that the Mar-a-Lago photos perfectly illustrated Gabbard's current standing.
Gabbard broke her silence on Tuesday, January 6, with a post on X that praised the operation's execution but notably did not address her exclusion. 'Kudos to our servicemen and women and intelligence operators for their flawless execution of President Trump's order,' she wrote.
This incident follows public tension from June 2025, when Trump rebuked Gabbard after she testified to Congress that Iran was 'not building a nuclear weapon.' When asked about her comments, Trump dismissed them, saying, 'I don't care what she said.'
Officials have moved to downplay reports of division. A senior intelligence official denied Gabbard was cut out, claiming she provided important analysis for the mission. A spokesman for Secretary Rubio, Tommy Pigott, dismissed the narrative as 'a tired and false narrative attempting to promote a fake story of 'division' when there is none.' A spokeswoman for Gabbard declined to comment further.
