NEW: Trump Sidelines Tulsi Gabbard As New Rift Begins
Published 1 hour ago
on June 19, 2025
By Mark Steffen
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is facing her greatest power struggle since taking office, and it’s with President Donald Trump.
The dilemma appears to be one of Gabbard’s own making after the former Democratic congresswoman released an unreviewed video declaring that Iran is “closer than ever before” to developing a nuclear weapon. The video’s release set off a cascade of phone calls from the White House and included a public rebuff by Trump.
Now, Gabbard has found herself sidelined as the president makes what may be the most consequential foreign policy decision of his second term.
Those around Trump this week say that Gabbard is nowhere to be seen in “war room” meetings where military leaders give their best predictions on Iran’s nuclear capabilities and storage locations and game out scenarios of direct U.S. involvement. Trump has said he will not make a decision until the last minute.
Multiple senior officials described tension between Gabbard and the White House that’s notched up to the point that Vice President J.D. Vance recently took to social media to defend her from suggestions that Gabbard will soon be fired.
The rift became widely known after President Trump brushed aside Gabbard’s congressional testimony on Monday, declaring that the military does not believe Iran is currently working toward a nuclear bomb.
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