Vice President JD Vance forcefully rejected claims that he and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard were sidelined from high-level planning for the U.S. operation that removed Venezuelan strongman Nicols Maduro from power.
During Thursdays White House press briefing, Vance fielded questions about media reports asserting that both he and Gabbard were excluded from key meetings on the Venezuela mission. According to RedState, those reports centered on the planning that led to the dramatic extraction of Maduro to face justice in the United States.
So, I have heard a couple of things. One, that I was kept out of the planning for the Venezuela operation, Vance said. Thats false. He immediately broadened his defense to include Gabbard, making clear he viewed the story as an attack on the administrations unity and competence.
And another that Tulsi was kept out of the planning for the Venezuela operation, he added. Thats completely false. Look, were 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. Vance emphasized that operational secrecy, not political gamesmanship, guided the administrations approach.
We kept this operation secret for a very long time, Vance continued. Im very proud of that. I think that it suggests that the team works very well together. His remarks underscored a sharp contrast with prior administrations that often leaked like sieves on sensitive national security matters.
The vice president then outlined how his responsibilities have intensified in the wake of Maduros removal and the installation of a new government in Caracas. My role is going to be whatever the president asks me to do, Vance said. Every other day, Im chairing the meeting that we do on this [Venezuela] among White House principals to talk about next steps to try to ensure that Venezuela stays stable.
And as the president has directed us to do, to ensure that the new Venezuelan government actually listens to the United States, he added. And does what the United States needs it to do under our countrys best interest. That framing reflects a clear America First posture, prioritizing U.S. security and strategic influence over the sensibilities of global elites.
So, Im going to be as involved as the president wants me to be, Vance continued. So far, thats been very involved. And Ill keep on doing that so long as the president asks me to do it. His comments signaled a tightly coordinated executive team, rather than the factional infighting often celebrated by legacy media when it weakens conservative administrations.
Vances pushback followed a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter who claimed Gabbard was deliberately frozen out of months of planning because of her past opposition to military action in Venezuela. The report alleged that her stance raised doubts about her willingness to support the operation, suggesting ideological litmus tests inside the administrations national security apparatus.
The same report claimed that the exclusion was so widely recognized that some White House aides joked that the acronym for her title, DNI, stood for Do Not Invite, according to three unnamed sources. They asked not to be identified discussing private conversations, and a White House official flatly denied that any such joke existed, highlighting once again the medias reliance on anonymous whispers to undermine a successful conservative foreign policy move.
Over the weekend, Americans learned of the stunning success of the U.S. mission in Caracas, which culminated in Maduros capture and transfer to the United States for prosecution. As reported by RedStates RC Maxwell, the operation showcased decisive use of American power in defense of national security and the rule of law.
U.S. Special Operations forces executed a lightning-fast raid in Venezuela in the early-morning hours Saturday, capturing and arresting Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro on charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, was also captured in the raid. The mission not only removed a hostile, criminal regime figure but also sent a clear message to other anti-American dictators who profit from narcotics and violence.
As critics in the media scramble to focus on alleged internal snubs and anonymous gossip, the administration is highlighting the core achievement: a tightly run, leak-free operation that put American interests first and brought a narco-dictator to heel. Nice to have a leader and an administration back in the White House who understand that America's security must come first.
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