Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was reportedly excluded from months of strategic planning for the United States operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, illustrating tensions within the U.S. national security apparatus over interventionist policy. U.S. media outlets, including Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, report Gabbard was left out of planning because her long-standing opposition to military action in Venezuela raised doubts among decision-makers about her support for the mission.
According to sources familiar with internal discussions, skepticism about her stance was well-known within the administration, with some aides reportedly joking that “DNI” stood for “Do Not Invite” — a quip a White House official later denied. Gabbard, who in 2019 warned against U.S. intervention in Venezuela during her presidential campaign, was absent from high-level photos released after the operation and reportedly did not participate in key operational briefings.
The reported exclusion has sparked speculation about widening fissures within the Trump administration’s policy ranks, even as senior officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, rejected claims that either he or Gabbard were sidelined, emphasizing a coordinated team effort. Despite the operational controversy, Gabbard’s public response praised the mission’s execution, even as debates continue over the role of the DNI and the administration’s foreign policy direction.
