Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is said to have faced exclusion from key planning for Operation Absolute Resolve the US mission capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Reports indicate White House officials kept her out of Venezuela related discussions since last summer. The Wall Street Journal cited sources claiming senior figures limited her involvement to restrict information flow.
The operation succeeded with US forces detaining Maduro who now faces charges in New York including narco terrorism and weapons offences. Gabbard is reported to have remained uninformed during the midnight raid despite her top security role. Her past opposition to military intervention in Venezuela as a former Democrat drew scepticism from some administration members.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung denied the sidelining asserting Trump has full confidence in Gabbard. Officials noted her office provided analytical support for the mission. Vice President JD Vance also dismissed exclusion claims amid swirling media reports.
Aides reportedly joked that DNI stood for do not invite though the White House rejected such accounts. Secretary of State Marco Rubio allegedly ensured Gabbard stayed out of the loop. The episode highlights tensions in Trump’s national security team post Maduro capture.
