The gap between Gabbard’s stance on Venezuela and the White House’s actions reflects a broader tension inherent in the Trump administration. Gabbard is far from the only cabinet-level official to have publicly and emphatically taken a stance that runs counter to administration policy. That isn’t the case in the current term, which saw Trump packing his cabinet with known political figures with well-documented, long-held beliefs. Of course, this isn’t universally true for all Trump cabinet secretaries — even those who have changed positions. Kennedy rose to national prominence as a skeptic of vaccines, and the Trump administration implemented his vision Monday by upending the nation’s pediatric vaccine schedule.

Source: Washington Post January 06, 2026 23:01 UTC