Vice President JD Vance reacted to reports that Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, was excluded from operational talks about Venezuela.
Newsweek reached out to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence via email on Thursday for comment.
The aftermath of the U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has sparked renewed scrutiny over decision-making transparency and the involvement of senior American officials in major foreign policy initiatives.
A report in The Wall Street Journal suggested that Gabbard was left out of the planning process, possibly raising eyebrows about potential internal divisions in the Trump administration.
The claims arrive as bipartisan concern grows in Congress regarding presidential war powers and U.S. intentions in Venezuela.
The capture of Maduro also represents a significant shift in American foreign policy toward Venezuela and underscores the geopolitical complexity of the region.
On Thursday, Vance addressed reporters during a White House briefing to refute reports that Gabbard was excluded from the planning of the U.S. military raid that resulted in Maduro's capture.
"I've heard a couple of things," Vance said. "One, that I was kept out of the planning for the Venezuela operation -- that's false. And another, that Tulsi was kept out of the planning for Venezuela operations. That's completely false. Look, we're all part of the same team."
"And one of the things that is really amazing about that operation is that we kept it very tight to the senior Cabinet level officials and related officials in our government. And we kept this operation secret for a very long time. I'm very proud of that...I think it suggests the team works very well together," Vance said.
He later added, "I'm going to be as involved as the president wants me to be. So far, that's been very involved."
Reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal this week claimed that Gabbard had been excluded from Venezuela planning due to her previous skepticism about U.S. intervention in the country. However, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung rejected those narratives, stating in part that, "President Trump has full confidence in @DNIGabbard and she's doing a fantastic job." Cheung labeled such reports as attempts "to sow internal division" within the administration.
According to The Wall Street Journal, sourcing an administration official, Gabbard's office provided "intelligence analysis that assisted in the overall mission from the analytical side."
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard wrote Tuesday on X: "President Trump promised the American people he would secure our borders, confront narcoterrorism, dangerous drug cartels, and drug traffickers. Kudos to our servicemen and women and intelligence operators for their flawless execution of President Trump's order to deliver on his promise thru Operation Absolute Resolve."
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday on Truth Social: "I have just been informed that Venezuela is going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products, with the money they receive from our new Oil Deal. These purchases will include, among other things, American Agricultural Products, and American Made Medicines, Medical Devices, and Equipment to improve Venezuela's Electric Grid and Energy Facilities. In other words, Venezuela is committing to doing business with the United States of America as their principal partner - A wise choice, and a very good thing for the people of Venezuela, and the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Questions remain regarding the long-term U.S. strategy in Venezuela and the scope of American presence, with Trump indicating oversight may last "much longer" than a year, he told The New York Times.