Where is Tulsi Gabbard? Intelligence director out of loop in Donald Trump's Iran talks
The Pentagon revealed Thursday that President Trump's airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites were based on intelligence gathered over 15 years. But one major figure was oddly not present before or after the attacks was Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard wasn't at Thursday's classified briefing to Congress where Ratcliffe walked lawmakers through the details of the Saturday strike.(via REUTERS)
Gabbard, once a Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and known for opposing US military action in the Middle East, did not appear for several high-level meetings. Now, questions are growing over whether she's being pushed aside while CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who used to hold her current post, seems to take a more central role, as per New York Post report.
Gabbard, 44, skipped Thursday's classified briefing to Congress where Ratcliffe walked lawmakers through the details of the Saturday strike. She also didn't attend a June 8 strategy meeting at Camp David, where Trump worked through his Iran plan with top officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Sources told Fox News she wasn't invited.
Also Read: Who leaked Iran strikes assessment? Donald Trump points finger at... Gabbard posted a video warning about nuclear war
Two days after that meeting, Gabbard posted a video warning about nuclear war. Someone close to the administration stated it came off as 'fear-mongering,' possibly aimed at criticizing the strike.
The source said, 'That narrative played directly into the hands of those who did not support the president's then-upcoming bold decision to obliterate Tehran's nuclear program.'
Another administration official said, 'She's been wrong on the big stuff,' as reported by the Post.
Trump, meanwhile, didn't seem too worried about her take. On June 17, while flying on Air Force One, he brushed off her assessment that Iran wasn't close to making a nuclear weapon.
'I don't care what she said. I think they were very close to having one,' Trump said. Here's why Tulsi Gabbard backed Trump
Gabbard had endorsed Trump last year, mostly because she agreed with his foreign policy views. She had long criticized both Democratic and Republican hawks who pushed for regime change.
While running for president in 2020, she launched 'No War With Iran' t-shirts, just two days after Trump took out Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
Still, people inside the administration don't believe Gabbard is on her way out. One White House staffer who saw her Friday before she met with Trump in the Oval Office said there was no tension, calling the rumors about her being sidelined 'bogus.'
Also Read: 'Should be prosecuted': Donald Trump lashes out after Pentagon intel leak on Iran nuclear strikes Tulsi Gabbard was present with Trump in the situation room
In fact, Gabbard was in the situation room with Trump during Saturday's strike. According to sources, Trump actually values some disagreement among his advisers, especially when it comes to global affairs.
Some insiders think her influence might shrink as Ratcliffe, a former GOP lawmaker from Texas, takes on a bigger role in shaping intelligence policy.
At the same time, Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is attempting to slash Gabbard's staff from 1,600 down to 650, a senior Senate aide told NBC News.
Trump hasn't been quick to remove people from his team in 2025. The only cabinet shake-up so far has been former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz moving to the United Nations, after he accidentally added a reporter to a Signal group chat discussing airstrikes in Yemen.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
31 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Trump calls US-Japan car trade unfair, floats keeping 25% tariffs
US President Donald Trump floated the idea of keeping 25 per cent tariffs on Japan's cars as talks between the two nations continued with little more than a week to go before a slew of higher duties are set to kick in if a trade deal isn't reached. 'So we give Japan no cars. They won't take our cars, right? And yet we take millions and millions of their cars into the United States. It's not fair,' Trump said during a Fox News interview that aired Sunday. The comments show that the two sides still remain some distance from an agreement and highlight the risk that Trump may stick with the 25 per cent tariff on autos. The interview came out after another round of talks between Tokyo's top trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Akazawa flew across the world to hold face-to-face talks in Washington, and while they initially met in person, two subsequent discussions took place on the phone. 'Japan-US negotiations are at a critical stage, and we will continue to engage in sincere and earnest discussions,' he said in a post on X. Both sides agreed to continue talks this week after the Trump interview took place on Friday, he added. Auto-related stocks on the Topix were down around 0.4 per cent in Tokyo, early Monday afternoon, compared with a 0.8 per cent gain in the overall index. The duty on the car sector has emerged as one of the key sticking points in the talks. Washington is focusing on its large deficit in the sector while Tokyo is trying to protect a key pillar of its economy. In 2024, Japan's trade surplus with the US stood at ¥8.6 trillion ($59.3 billion). Roughly 82 per cent of the gap was due to Japan's surplus in cars and auto parts. US statistics show that the deficit with Japan is the seventh largest among Washington's individual trading partners. Akazawa has repeatedly said that the US's car tariffs are unacceptable, saying that Japan's auto industry has made an enormous contribution to the US economy through the investment of more than $60 billion and the creation of 2.3 million local jobs. Japan has insisted on keeping the sectoral tariffs on cars and other items included in the talks on the wider country-specific levies that are due to go up on July 9. Akazawa has said he will keep the deadline in mind but won't fixate on it as Tokyo aims to settle all trade disputes with a package that addresses the sectoral tariffs, too. Statements released by the Japanese government over the weekend said Akazawa and Lutnick had 'fruitful' discussions and agreed to continue seeking a deal that is beneficial for both the US and Japan. The statements did not touch on what was discussed or what progress was made. The 25 per cent US tariff is already in place on cars and auto parts, along with a 50 per cent duty on steel and aluminum. The separate across-the-board tariffs, now at 10 per cent, will jump to 24 per cent if no deal is reached in time. Without a breakthrough in the negotiations, Japan's economy could be pushed into a technical recession after it shrank in the first quarter. Trump's statements in the interview gave no impression that Japan was any closer to reaching a deal or winning an extended reprieve on the reciprocal tariffs. Instead, Trump flagged that the US can set its trade terms with Japan unilaterally.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
31 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Canada resumes trade talks with US following suspension of tech tax plan
Trade talks between Canada and the United States are back on track following Canada's decision to withdraw its proposed digital services tax targeting American technology companies, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday. This development follows US President Donald Trump's decision on Friday (June 27) to halt discussions, criticising Canada's digital tax plan as 'a direct and blatant attack on our country'. The Canadian government confirmed it would cancel the implementation of the Digital Services Tax, which had been scheduled to take effect Monday, citing the move as a gesture made 'in anticipation' of securing a broader trade agreement, Associated Press reported. According to Carney's office, both leaders have now agreed to move forward with talks. 'This decision paves the way for renewed negotiations aimed at meeting the July 21, 2025 deadline that was outlined during this month's G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis,' Carney said in an official statement. Carney previously met with President Trump at the White House in May, where their discussions were described as cordial but assertive. Trump later visited Canada for the G7 summit in Alberta, where both sides agreed to a 30-day timeframe to finalise key aspects of the trade deal. Digital tax draws US ire Trump, in a post on his social media platform on Friday said that Canada had notified the United States of its intention to move forward with implementing a digital services tax. The measure would target both domestic and international companies that interact with Canadian online users. The proposed tax, set at 3 per cent, would have impacted major tech firms such as Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber, and Airbnb. It was also designed to be retroactive, potentially resulting in American companies receiving a combined bill of approximately $2 billion by the end of the month, Associated Press reported. Tariffs remain a point of contention Ongoing negotiations between the US and Canada have also focused on a series of tariffs Trump previously imposed. These include 50 per cent duties on steel and aluminium and a 25 per cent levy on automotive imports. Additionally, a 10 per cent tariff on imports from several countries remains in effect, with the potential for rate hikes after July 9, once a 90-day negotiation window ends. Under measures aimed at curbing fentanyl smuggling, Canada and Mexico are also subject to additional tariffs of up to 25 per cent. However, certain goods remain shielded by provisions in the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which was signed during Trump's first presidential term.
New Indian Express
31 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
No talks with Maoists as long as they carry arms: Union Minister Amit Shah
HYDERABAD: Reiterating that the Union government was committed to ending Naxalism by March 31, 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday urged Maoists to surrender and join the mainstream. He categorically stated that the Centre would not hold talks with those who continue to bear arms. 'Our policy is no talks with those who have arms in their hands. Give up arms and surrender. If you do not surrender, we have decided to end Naxalism by March 31, 2026. Should we not end the Naxalites who have killed adivasis and police personnel?' Shah said. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the National Turmeric Board headquarters in Nizamabad, the Union home minister said that while he 'feared that the Congress might provide shelter to Maoists, there was no cause for concern as Narendra Modi was in power at the Centre'. 'The Congress is asking for talks with Maoists. Our government's policy is clear — no talks with those who hold weapons. Surrender and join the mainstream,' he said. Shah noted that in the Northeast, 10,000 individuals had surrendered and joined the mainstream, with some contesting elections at district and Assembly levels. 'In the last one-and-a-half years, around 2,000 Maoists surrendered,' he added. 'From Telangana's soil, I want to ask those who speak of protecting Naxals: What answer will you give to the families of police personnel and adivasis who lost their lives in Naxal violence? Naxals have obstructed development in adivasi areas for decades. What is your answer?' he asked. Shah accused the BRS of indulging in massive corruption during its 10-year rule. He alleged irregularities in Dharani, Kaleshwaram, Singareni and other projects, and questioned whether Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy initiated even one case against those involved. Shah claimed that the family of former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao used Telangana as an 'ATM' and alleged that the state has now become an 'ATM for the Delhi Congress'.
