Donald Trump has privately asked cabinet members in recent weeks whether he should replace his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, according to two people briefed on the discussions. The president expressed frustration that she shielded a former deputy who undercut his rationale for war with Iran.
It is not clear that Trump will actually fire Gabbard, as there is no standout candidate to replace her and advisers have cautioned that creating a high-profile vacancy could cause political distractions. However, Trump’s discussions mark an ominous development given his tendency to poll advisers when considering personnel changes.
Trump’s doubts followed Gabbard’s testimony at a worldwide threats hearing last month, where she declined to condemn Joe Kent, who resigned days earlier arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat. Trump expressed particular frustration that Gabbard appeared reluctant to defend the administration’s position to attack Iran.
Asked whether he still had confidence in Gabbard, Trump offered a mixed endorsement, saying, “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 defended Gabbard, stating that Trump has confidence in her.
Gabbard’s testimony aligned with her longstanding criticism of US foreign wars and her previous statements that the president could not legally order pre-emptive attacks. The remarks had been workshopped with the CIA in advance, and Gabbard has spent nearly every day at the White House supporting the Iran war. She has also won favor with Trump for producing a report asserting Russia did not seek to boost his 2016 campaign.
However, Gabbard has accumulated perceived transgressions, including a video about nuclear war that Trump felt was too graphic, and public contradiction after she testified that Iran had not decided to build a nuclear bomb. Trump later authorized strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
