Vice President Vance came to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s defense Tuesday amid criticism over her past comments about Iran, as the administration weighs U.S. involvement in Tehran’s conflict with Israel.
“Tulsi is a veteran, a patriot, a loyal supporter of Pres Trump and a critical part of the coalition he built in 2024,” Vance said in a statement obtained by The Hill’s sister network NewsNation. “She’s an essential member of our nat sec team, & we’re grateful for her tireless work to keep America safe from foreign threats.”
His comments come after President Trump seemingly rejected Gabbard’s assessment of Iran’s nuclear capabilities in remarks on his return from the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada — which he left a day early amid the unrest in the Middle East.
Earlier this year, Gabbard — a former Democratic lawmaker from Hawaii who switched parties in 2022 — testified before Congress that Iran had an “unprecedented” stockpile of weapons-grade uranium, but did not seem to be building weapons.
“I don’t care what she said,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. “I think they were very close to having one.”
Conflict between Israel and Iran broke out last week following long-simmering tensions in the region over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza and Iran’s nuclear capacity. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said early Wednesday in a slew of social media posts that the Islamic republic will “never surrender” to threats from Israel or its allies, including the U.S.
He also issued a warning that U.S. involvement in the conflict could lead to an “all-out war.”
Trump, in a recent interview, suggested that “it’s possible” the U.S. steps into the conflict. The Pentagon has already ordered a deployment of “additional capabilities” to the Middle East as the U.S. military positions itself to potentially intercede.
Trump has also thus far brushed off plans to target Khamenei directly but has reupped his pressure on Iran to accept an agreement to dismantle its nuclear program.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle, in a statement, said Trump’s “Peace through Strength” foreign policy is “a tried-and-true approach that keeps America safe and deters global threats.”
“Efforts by the legacy media to sow internal division are a distraction that will not work,” Ingle added.