New reports offer a window into the backroom infighting that takes place in a White House with a cast that includes Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Trump ally Roger Stone, MAGA activist Laura Loomer and, of course, President Donald Trump.
The bottom line, according to Axios, is that amid rumblings that Gabbard might follow ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in being dismissed, Stone interceded, ending any plan to dismiss her, at least for now.
Stone summarized the incident on social media.
“Last Monday Loomer tried to convince the President that Tulsi Gabbard was about to resign- in an effort to get Trump to move preemptively to fire her. The whole thing was a hoax. Fortunately, I acted in time,” Stone posted on X.
Last Monday Loomer tried to convince the President that Tulsi Gabbard was about to resign- in an effort to get Trump to move preemptively to fire her. The whole thing was a hoax. Fortunately, I acted in time. When I called Loomer out on her lie is when she became unhinged pic.twitter.com/Qbg2GpI6C2
— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) April 9, 2026
“When I called Loomer out on her lie is when she became unhinged,” he posted.
The Axios report, which relied mostly on sources it did not name, offered the same conclusion, noting that Gabbard, a staunch anti-interventionist, was in the White House doghouse for her lackluster support of the war with Iran.
The stunning resignation of Joe Kent, the former counterterrorism director, added to displeasure focused on Gabbard.
Gabbard and Trump had a private meeting, during which one version said she was “scolded” amid questions of her loyalty to Trump.
Another source, Axios wrote, said that Trump “wasn’t that mad, and instead chided Gabbard in a sarcastic but friendly way.”
Advisers were polled about Gabbard, a process that made it to the media in the form of a report in The Guardian.
Stone then intervened, Axios reported.
“Roger sealed the deal. He saved Tulsi,” a source told Axios.
The outlet said four factors were key to Gabbard remaining in her job.
“Gabbard was loyal, gave congressional testimony in a professional manner and never disputed the president,” the outlet reported. “Gabbard wasn’t going to resign like Kent and didn’t deserve to be proactively fired.”
“Firing Gabbard would needlessly create a damaging news cycle for Trump — and make her into a martyr of sorts for those in the president’s base agitated by the war,” Axios noted.
“If she were fired and given that aura of credibility among MAGA dissenters, Gabbard could become a potent GOP presidential candidate in a little over a year. That might hurt Trump’s preferred successor, Vice President Vance, in the early 2028 primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina.”
But Loomer has beaten the drum that Gabbard is toast.
“Tulsi is done,” Loomer posted on X last week. “The White House wants zero drama so they gave her the option to resign, but… she will do a lot of damage if she is given the choice to resign because she will launch her 2028 presidential campaign.”
An ODNI representative said Gabbard “remains committed to fulfilling the responsibilities the President placed in her to protect the safety, security and freedom of the American people. She will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of President Trump’s agenda.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed that, saying, “President Trump believes Tulsi Gabbard is doing an excellent job on behalf of the administration. She is a key member of his national security team.”
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