Politics
REPORT: Tulsi Gabbard ‘In The Line Of Fire’ After Iran Leaks
Observers of President Donald Trump think Tulsi Gabbard has put herself “in the line of fire” as he searches for the party responsible for leaking classified U.S. intelligence about the bombs dropped on Iran.
Days of forceful pushback on stories by CNN and the New York Times indicate that Trump is angrier than usual about the leaking of a report which claims that a dozen 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs did little to set back Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. He has pointed the finger at members of Congress and stated that the White House will no longer share as many updates about military operations.
The focus on Gabbard, insiders say, suggests that Trump believes some of those he once trusted may also be involved.
The former congresswoman has been sidelined ahead of a briefing to Congress about the bombing. Trump officials told the Daily Mail that Gabbard will not be present on Thursday when representatives make the case that Operation Midnight Hammer resulted in “total obliteration” of Iran’s three nuclear sites.
Gabbard was supposed to join Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe at the briefing.
“It’s always important in the Trump script, the fallback is always who to blame, who to blame. Just have to have someone to blame. Tulsi is in the line of fire,” Trump biographer Michael Wolff said about Gabbard’s predicament.
Wolff added: “There is an investigation that is going on. They will try to find someone to blame. Within the White House, within the West Wing, what they are saying as of this morning, who this is being pinned on, is Tulsi.”
Despite Wolff’s assessment of the trouble Gabbard is in, an administration official told the outlet that the media is “turning this into something it’s not.”
Perhaps sensing danger to her career prospects, the national security director fell in line behind Trump, Rubio, and Hegseth as they rebutted the CNN article and lashed out at journalists like Kaitlan Collins for disrespecting American troops with their reporting.
“New intelligence confirms what @POTUS has stated numerous times: Iran’s nuclear facilities have been destroyed,” she wrote on social media.
“If the Iranians chose to rebuild, they would have to rebuild all three facilities (Natanz, Fordow, Esfahan) entirely, which would likely take years to do.”
In a statement, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung didn’t let slip any suspicions the president may feel about Gabbard’s involvement in the leak.
“President Trump has full confidence in his entire exceptional national security team,” he told the Daily Mail. “DNI Gabbard is an important member of the President’s team and her work continues to serve him and this country well.”
President Trump was speaking with reporters Friday when he publicly upbraided Gabbard for saying that U.S. intelligence “continues to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.”
Pressed by a reporter to respond, Trump replied, “She’s wrong.”
Gabbard responded on social media later in the day, likewise lashing out at the media.
“The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division,” she wrote.
