White House excludes intelligence chief from Iran policy debate

Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence and a vocal opponent of past American military interventions, appears increasingly sidelined within the Trump administration as the President considers possible military action against Iran.

According to several senior officials, Gabbard’s influence on foreign policy discussions has diminished amid growing tensions over her recent public statements, Caliber.Az reports, citing US media.

The friction became public after President Donald Trump dismissed Gabbard’s earlier testimony to Congress, in which she stated the U.S. intelligence community did not believe Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapon.

Trump contradicted this on Air Force One, claiming Iran was “very close” to acquiring one. Sources say the intelligence assessment remains unchanged since Gabbard’s March testimony.

This public rebuke has fuelled speculation that Gabbard has been frozen out of key decision-making processes.

Her absence from a high-level Camp David meeting on June 8, focused on escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, further raised eyebrows, though the White House said she was fulfilling National Guard training duties.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman turned Trump ally, has long campaigned against U.S. military action in the Middle East and has sought diplomatic alternatives to the current Iran-Israel conflict.

She reportedly attempted to use European diplomatic channels to engage Tehran. However, a video she released on June 10, following a visit to Hiroshima and warning of nuclear war, was not well received in the White House, reportedly irritating senior officials.

Despite the tensions, Gabbard remains in her post. Allies dismiss claims she is considering resignation, even if the U.S. engages directly in the conflict. “The suggestion she’ll resign is false,” said one source close to her.

Vice President JD Vance has defended Gabbard, calling her “a patriot” and “a critical part” of Trump’s national security team. However, criticism from other Republicans has been blunt, with Senator John Kennedy suggesting Gabbard “needs to change her meds”.

Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) coalition is itself divided. Some members support Israel’s actions and potential U.S. involvement, while others argue such intervention betrays the “America First” pledge.

Gabbard’s anti-interventionist stance, once seen as a sign of ideological breadth in Trump’s movement, now risks leaving her isolated as the administration moves towards a more hawkish line.

One official noted that the same views that once made Gabbard a symbol of diversity within the MAGA fold now highlight her as an outlier. “If you adopt a Chihuahua, you shouldn’t be surprised when it behaves like one,” the official quipped.

By Aghakazim Guliyev