Karoline Leavitt Insists Tulsi Gabbard’s Job Is Not in ‘Jeopardy’ Ahead of Senate Testimony
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted on Wednesday that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has the “full confidence” of President Donald Trump and won’t be going anywhere.
While speaking to reporters outside the White House, Leavitt said she had “no knowledge” of Gabbard’s job being in “jeopardy.”
“Not to my knowledge. I haven’t heard the president say that… obviously that’s a question for him, but I haven’t heard him say that at all,” she said.
Leavitt also appeared on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom, where she insisted Trump has “full confidence” in Gabbard and they look forward to watching her testify before the Senate.
“We look forward to watching the director’s hearings today,” she said.
Gabbard’s role in the administration had been thrown under a microscope since Trump launched strikes against Iran last month. Gabbard, once a Democrat, has long been a critic of regime change and Middle East wars. She released a statement on Tuesday that only raised more questions with critics.
In the statement, Gabbard said it was Trump who concluded that Iran was an “imminent threat.” Her message came after Joe Kent — former director of the National Counterterrorism Center — resigned from the administration in protest of the Iran war.
Gabbard wrote:
Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. 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.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions.
After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion.
Gabbard is testifying on Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Watch above via Fox News.
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