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Trump is facing backlash for firing two women officials from his male-dominated cabinet in less than a month. Reports now suggest that Tulsi Gabbard and Karoline Leavitt could be next in line of fire.
Trump has fired two senior women officials, Pam Bondi and Kristie Noem, and reports suggest Tulsi Gabbard could be next.
Donald Trump has dismissed two senior female officials in less than a month, prompting accusations that his administration is engaging in a “misogynistic campaign.” On Thursday, Trump removed Attorney General Pam Bondi, just weeks after ousting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Reports now suggest that Tulsi Gabbard and Karoline Leavitt could be next.
Critics argue that Bondi and Noem were targeted because they are women. They point instead to controversies surrounding male officials such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, and FBI Director Kash Patel, all of whom have faced scrutiny over issues ranging from alleged security lapses to wrongful arrests.
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari highlighted that a Pentagon watchdog found Hegseth’s use of the Signal messaging app may have put US service members at risk. Patel, meanwhile, has been criticised for a series of missteps, including prematurely identifying the wrong suspect in the investigation into the killing of Charlie Kirk. Despite these controversies, all three men remain in their positions.
Further fueling criticism is the fact that both dismissed women officials have been replaced by men. Senator Markwayne Mullin has taken over at Homeland Security, while Todd Blanche has been appointed interim attorney general, reinforcing concerns about the increasingly male-dominated makeup of Trump’s cabinet.
TRUMP TARGETTING WOMEN?
Ansari wrote on X: “Noem and Bondi were both awful and committed egregious, impeachable offenses. But isn’t it interesting that it’s just the women getting fired? Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth each have a laundry list of scandals under their belts and should be fired as well. Hmmmm.”
Bill Kristol, who served in the Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush administrations, echoed the thought and wrote, "Bondi was awful, but no worse than Patel. Noem was terrible, but no worse than Hegseth. Funny that it’s only the women who get fired."
Tara Setmayer, co-founder of the Seneca Project, a women-led political action committee, said: “Given Donald Trump’s history with women, why is anyone surprised that he holds them to a different standard? Many people are easily discarded by Donald Trump but his history with the way he treats women as objects, as things that he can easily dispense with when he’s done with them, is consistent with how he treats the women who serve him in his cabinet.”
Setmayer, a former Republican communications director, said, “Donald Trump is a misogynist and this is a misogynistic administration and they’re not shy about that.”
TRUMP TO FIRE TULSI GABBARD, KAROLINE LEAVITT ?
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, could be next in line of fire, The Guardian reported on Thursday. Trump privately asked cabinet members about replacing her due to frustration over her congressional testimony on the Iran war.
Trump reportedly became frustrated after Gabbard testified during a worldwide threats hearing on Capitol Hill. During the hearing, she declined to condemn Joe Kent, a former deputy who resigned after saying Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States. Trump had already been upset about Kent’s comments.
Other journalists have also claimed that Gabbard could be fired next. Journalist Tara Palmeri tweeted: “Pam Bondi Fired, Kristi Noem Fired, Tulsi Gabbard Next? Trump is playing whack-a-mole with the women of his cabinet.”
Olivia Julianna, a political activist, added: “Trump fired Kristi Noem. Trump fired Pam Bondi. Trump will fire Tulsi Gabbard Next. Plenty of men in the Trump administration who have screwed up, but get a pass. Let this serve as a reminder to the Maga women – to them, you are always replaceable.”
There are also speculations that Trump might fire White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt after he publicly rebuked her, accusing her of failing to stem what he claimed was a torrent of '97 per cent' negative media coverage during a briefing in Washington. He also hinted that he is considering firing her when he asked, "Shall we keep her?"
"A person who gets 97 per cent of bad... maybe Karoline's doing a poor job, I don't know." Turning towards her, he added: "You're doing a terrible job. Shall we keep her? I think we'll keep her."
Reports say Trump has privately questioned Leavitt’s performance. A source claimed he blamed distractions including her pregnancy. Leavitt is expecting her second child in May. Reports also suggest Trump is considering CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings as a possible replacement.
“He’s not happy. And when he’s not happy, he starts looking at options,” a source told Shuter for his Naughty But Nice Substack on Thursday. “He’s even blamed her pregnancy for distractions. Saying the focus isn’t where it needs to be.”
According to the source, the former Apprentice star has been eyeing conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings as a potential replacement.
“Trump likes fighters. Scott goes on TV and defends him aggressively — that gets noticed,” the insider noted. “He thinks a new face could change the coverage. That’s how he sees it.”
- Ends
Published By:
Priya Pareek
Published On:
Apr 3, 2026 21:04 IST
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