How long does Tulsi Gabbard have left in Trump 2.0?

Politico reported that Trump is furious at the video posted by DNI Tulsi Gabbard last week warning about the impact of a nuclear war. She said that we have never been closer to one, which is not the message Trump wants right now from his DNI.

A senior Trump admin official: “I don’t think Trump dislikes Tulsi as a person. But certainly the video made him not super hot on her, and he doesn’t like it when people are off message. Many took that video as trying to correct the administration’s position.”

Another WH official: "He’s not interested in firing her at this moment because she’s not doing any harm. I think he’s questioning her viewpoint as a value, especially after that video.”

CBS: “Trump has been briefed on both the risks and the benefits of bombing Fordo, Iran's most heavily secured nuclear facility, and his mindset is that disabling it is necessary because of the risk of weapons being produced in a relatively short period of time. Trump is aware of the diplomatic effort being undertaken with EU officials meeting with the Iranian foreign minister in Switzerland on Friday.”

  Meidas Touch

Tell me again, why is Trump not there?

“John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, has said in closed-door settings that Iran is viewed as being very close to possessing nuclear weapons, despite the official line from the intelligence community that Iran's leadership hasn't given a formal order to build bombs. Trump has been briefed on both the risks and the benefits of bombing the Fordow nuclear facility in Iran and his mindset is that disabling it is necessary.” Source: “He believes there’s not much choice. Finishing the job means destroying Fordo.”

Trump was asked if a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities by the US is imminent: “I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I'm going to do."

"Least of all me," he did not add.

Trump’s former NSA John Bolton: “Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, because Barack Obama received one. He won't get it for solving the Russian-Ukraine war. He tried unsuccessfully to claim credit for the recent India-Pakistan cease fire. He’s now failing to reach an agreement with Iran, and is being asked by Israel to help destroy Tehran's nuclear-weapons program.”

[...]

Press Sec Karoline Leavitt: “Regarding Iran, I have a message directly from the president, and I quote, ‘Based on the fact that there is a chance of substantial negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks."

Two weeks. Everything is two weeks. I really would love to know what that's about.

Anyway, based on negotiations that may or may not take place?

While the Trump admin has talked about nuclear deterrence at the reason for US involvement in a war against Iran, Republican Senators continue to call for regime change. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-CN) joined the chorus to CNN: “It is time for regime change, and I believe that this president should be given a fair amount of leeway to affect that.”

Fox continues to beat the drums of war 24/7, with 100% of their hosts, guests and contributors wanting to go all-in despite the fact that a big chunk of the Republican Party is against that. It is 2002 all over again when they did the same thing. Sean Hannity to Iran: “You've been warned. At best your economy will be destroyed. Your refineries will be up in smoke. Your infrastructure will be in tatters. You won't have lights to turn on if you keep going the way you're going.”

… The position of Republicans in the House and Senate (other than Thomas Massie) is pretty simple - Trust in Trump. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) was asked her position on Fox: “Well, this will be entirely up to the president. Whatever the call that is made by President Donald Trump, I will be supportive of.”

Of course.

NPR: “Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said he thinks Iran ‘likely’ has a nuclear weapons program—but he sees so many questions about how a strike would work, retaliation, a wider war and boots on the ground that he concludes: ‘I do not think that we should do this.’

That's what I keep thinking. What if they already have a weapon? Maybe our intel isn't accurate. Oh well. Cross your fingers.

Smith is the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, respected on defense issues. He cast doubt that the US could simply send a plane over Fordo with one big bomb and solve the problem. He says troops may be needed, there may be other sites, and Iran may escalate.”

I think that's a given. Why do Americans continue to think that all we have to do is show up with an American flag and a big gun? It hasn't worked in my lifetime. Or yours.

Reporter to Leavitt: “President Trump has said previously several times in regards to sanctions on Russia that they would be imposed in two weeks. He used that ‘two weeks’ phrase several times, then it was another two weeks, and another two weeks. So how can we be sure that he will stick to this deadline?”

And, why does he always use two weeks? Inquiring minds want to know.

h/t Stephen