Roger Stone Stops Trump From Firing Tulsi Gabbard
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- Trump considered dismissing intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard after her congressional testimony that fell short of fully endorsing the Iran war, and privately scolded her on loyalty.
- Roger Stone intervened on Gabbard's behalf, arguing her loyalty, professional testimony, and the risk of creating a martyr made her worth keeping, and later confirmed his action on X.
- Roger Stone's advocacy triggered a feud with adviser Laura Loomer, who claimed Gabbard was planning to resign and could become a 2028 GOP candidate, a claim Gabbard allies denied.
- Joe Kent, Gabbard's former counterterrorism director, resigned, undercutting the administration's Iran threat narrative, and was accused by Loomer of antisemitism, which Kent denied.
- Dan Caldwell, a critic of U.S.-Israel policy, was hired by Gabbard at the ODNI, drawing criticism from pro‑Israel Trump supporters.
- ODNI and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly affirmed Gabbard's continued role and performance, despite internal disputes.
Why it matters: Stone's successful push to keep Gabbard averts a high‑profile firing that would have generated a damaging news cycle, deprived Trump of a loyal intelligence chief, and prevented Gabbard from becoming a martyr‑like figure or a 2028 GOP contender, while bolstering Stone’s sway and marginalizing Loomer’s anti‑Gabbard stance.
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