When the White House tells you the president has 'full confidence' in you, it's time to start packing your desk. That's exactly what Karoline Leavitt just said about Tulsi Gabbard, and if history is any guide, the clock is ticking.
When the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, resigned, his statements were a direct reflection of Gabbard’s stance on Iran. Gabbard was then called to the Hill to testify, where she put the burden of the decision-making on Trump.
When the White House was asked if Trump still had full confidence in Gabbard, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded, “He does, yes.”
In his resignation letter, Kent stated that Iran was not an “imminent threat” to the United States, and Operation Epic Fury never should have been launched.
That word, “imminent,” is now a focal point, as if we have to wait for a terrorist to have a match under the fuse before we need to act.
Gabbard was asked time and again while on the Hill to testify on Kent’s resignation about an “imminent threat,” and she danced around the question like a pro, stating, "As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country."
Gabbard, according to the Fox News report, insisted that only the president can decide what an imminent threat is and what is not. She would not give her personal assessment, sidestepping the question at every point.
When I heard the phrase “full confidence,” it just reminded me of what team owners say about their coach or manager right before they fire them.
That was the question the media put to Leavitt, according to KNWA, a local Fox News affiliate station.
Leavitt told the media, “We look forward to watching the director’s hearings today and I think anyone who has been suspected of leaking or has been proven to be a leaker will not be welcome in this administration. I know that for a fact because I’ve heard the president say it myself.”
When directly asked about Gabbard’s job being in jeopardy, she stated, “I haven’t heard the president say that – so obviously that’s a question for him, but I haven’t heard him say that at all.”
Bill O’Reilly, the former Fox News anchor, is fairly close with Trump, and his assessment of the situation was not quite as rosy as Leavitt’s.
O’Reilly was on NewsNation with Chris Cuomo this week, reported The Hill, and he told Cuomo, “I don’t particularly care about Tulsi Gabbard and whatever she’s doing. I know that she has a title there, but I also know she was not involved with the Iranian situation at all.”
He added, “She opposed going in and removing Maduro. When she did that, she lost all credibility with Donald Trump. Now, why is she still there? I don’t know. She won’t be there much longer. And that DNI doesn’t have any power right now in the Iranian situation.”
I've previously identified three likely firings or resignations in this administration: Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, and Tulsi Gabbard. Noem is already out, and the other two appear to be on very thin ice. Regardless of the message of the White House, it would not be surprising at all to see Gabbard fall next.
