Is Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard next in Trump's firing line?

Uncertainty is swirling at the top of the Trump administration, with fresh speculation centring on FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard as potential targets of a broader shake-up.

According to a report by The Atlantic, internal discussions have flagged the possible exit of Kash Patel, alongside Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. The report, citing people familiar with White House deliberations, stated that the timing remains unclear and no final call has been taken by President Donald Trump.

The chatter around Patel has been particularly intense. Conservative commentator Kyle Seraphin claimed there was a "decent possibility" that Patel could be removed imminently as part of a "total reshuffle", citing two sources.

"There is a decent possibility that Kash Patel is fired today and there is a total reshuffle. The question is why and my guess is that Trump wants to make it look like it's his idea and not while he is under pressure," Seraphin said.

At the same time, questions over Tulsi Gabbard's future have resurfaced after reports that Trump had explored replacing her with former Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The speculation gained traction following a contentious worldwide threat hearing on Capitol Hill, where Gabbard stopped short of condemning her former deputy, Joe Kent. Kent had resigned after stating that Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States, a position that had already irked Trump.

Several reports indicated that Trump was particularly dissatisfied with Gabbard's testimony, viewing her stance as insufficiently aligned with the administration's posture on potential military action against Iran.

Privately, Trump is said to have sounded out cabinet colleagues on whether Gabbard should be replaced, expressing frustration that she appeared to shield a subordinate whose remarks undercut his case on Iran.

Despite the internal disquiet, there is no confirmed move to remove Gabbard. In fact, a CBS report said Trump has pushed back against the idea and signalled continued support for her.

Speaking in a recent interview, Trump acknowledged differences with Gabbard but downplayed their significance.

"I mean, she's a little bit different in her thought process than me, but that doesn't make somebody not available to serve. I would say that I am very strong on the fact that I don't want Iran to have a nuclear weapon, because if they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it immediately. I think she's probably a little bit softer on that issue, but that's okay," the US President said.

The backdrop to this speculation is a wider churn within the administration. Trump recently announced that Pam Bondi would step down as Attorney General, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche set to take over in an acting capacity.

At the Pentagon, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has also moved to reshape the military leadership, asking Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to step down. The decision marked the latest in a series of high-level removals within the armed forces since Hegseth took office.

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