Trump Questions Intelligence Chief Gabbard on Iran Amid Rising Tensions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Late Monday night on Air Force One, President Donald Trump addressed the press regarding escalating tensions with Iran. When asked about Tulsi Gabbard, his director of national intelligence, Trump dismissed her recent statements to Congress, which contradicted Israel’s claims about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“I don’t care what she said,” Trump asserted, claiming that Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon. This response ignited a firestorm among his supporters and sparked questions about Gabbard’s standing in the administration.

Just a month ago, White House officials claimed that Trump appreciated Gabbard’s presence and was supportive of her learning curve in her new position. However, sentiments have since shifted as some in the White House expressed concerns about her performance.

Gabbard has been a prominent advocate for the president’s national security policy, but sources indicate she is seen as “off message,” particularly concerning Middle Eastern affairs. Trump’s dissatisfaction rose sharply after Gabbard posted a video warning about the dangers of nuclear war and criticizing political elites for escalating tensions.

According to a senior White House adviser, Trump interpreted Gabbard’s video as a critique of his policies and believed she was speaking out of turn. “When the president thinks you are off message, he doesn’t want you in the room,” the adviser remarked. Politico first revealed details of Trump’s displeasure.

Both Gabbard and the White House attempted to defuse the situation following the Air Force One incident. Gabbard maintained that she and the president are aligned on the issue of Iran, while an Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) official explained that both statements about Iran were aligned, despite their differences in timing.

“Just because Iran is not building a nuclear weapon right now, doesn’t mean they aren’t ‘very close’ as President Trump said,” the official emphasized.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman and a recent addition to Trump’s team, has positioned herself successfully within the MAGA movement. Still, some officials question her grasp of the DNI role, which oversees the U.S. intelligence community.

“It’s an enormous job,” an administration official stated, indicating that Gabbard is still learning her responsibilities. Two days before her video was released, she missed a critical meeting at Camp David regarding Israel’s actions towards Iran, as she was on National Guard duty. Some officials suggested her absence was due to doubts about her necessity at the meeting.

After the Camp David meeting, Gabbard returned to the White House and reportedly had a meeting rescheduled to fit her availability. “If they wanted her excluded, that’s not what you do,” an official stated. According to an ODNI representative, Gabbard has attended all Situation Room meetings since the conflict between Israel and Iran escalated.