The White House kept Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard largely on the sidelines during months of preparation for the operation known as “Absolute Resolve,” which targeted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. According to reports, senior officials were wary of Gabbard’s past public opposition to military intervention in Venezuela and questioned whether she would fully support such an operation. This scepticism reportedly led to her exclusion from key planning discussions as the strategy took shape.
Within the administration, her absence from these meetings was widely noticed and even became the subject of internal jokes. Some White House staff members were said to have quipped that the initials of her post, DNI, stood for “Do Not Invite,” reflecting a broader lack of trust in her alignment with the operation. While some officials dismissed these remarks as light-hearted or exaggerated, they nonetheless underscored the unease surrounding Gabbard’s role in the planning process.
Gabbard’s earlier positions appear to have played a significant role in shaping these doubts. In 2019, while serving as a Democratic member of Congress, she publicly argued that the United States should stay out of Venezuela’s internal affairs. More recently, she had criticised what she described as “warmongers” pushing the country toward foreign conflicts. Officials familiar with the planning said such statements raised concerns about her willingness to back a mission aimed at capturing Maduro.
Her exclusion became even more visible after the operation was carried out. Images released by the White House showed President Donald Trump monitoring events alongside senior figures such as the secretary of state, defence secretary, CIA director and other top aides in a makeshift war room. Gabbard’s absence from these photographs drew attention and fuelled speculation about her marginalisation within the administration’s national security circle.
The episode has also reignited debate inside Trump’s inner circle about the relevance of the Director of National Intelligence position itself. Some advisers have questioned whether the role, which was created after the September 11 attacks to improve coordination among intelligence agencies, remains necessary. Critics argue that it adds another layer of bureaucracy rather than enhancing decision-making.
After the operation concluded, an official spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence pointed to a social media post in which Gabbard praised US service members for what she described as the operation’s flawless execution. The post appeared after several days of silence, during which other senior national security officials had publicly defended and promoted the mission through briefings and media appearances.
Former officials from both major political parties have said that excluding the DNI from such high-level planning is highly unusual. By design, the director of national intelligence serves as the president’s chief intelligence adviser and oversees the entire intelligence community, including agencies such as the CIA. From that perspective, her limited involvement stood out as a significant departure from normal practice.
The White House, however, has pushed back strongly against claims that Gabbard was deliberately frozen out. Vice President JD Vance dismissed reports of exclusion as inaccurate, saying that both he and Gabbard were part of the same team. He added that planning for the operation was restricted to a very small group to maintain secrecy.
White House communications officials have also defended Gabbard, stating that President Trump has full confidence in her and believes she is performing her duties effectively. According to them, any suggestion of mistrust or sidelining is being overstated and does not reflect the president’s view of her role within the administration.
