Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard Tries To Grab Trump’s Attention With Fox News-Style Briefings

National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard is exploring new ways to present President Donald Trump’s intelligence briefings that are more aligned with how he consumes his information, according to five people with knowledge of the discussions.

To build trust in the material and increase attention to the briefing, Gabbard consulted with current and former intelligence officials to identify improvements she could make to tailor the briefings to Trump’s habits and interests. One idea is to create a video version that emulates a Fox News broadcast, one of Trump’s preferred methods of news consumption, according to four people with knowledge of these discussions.

Trump has recently cooled to Gabbard as she has openly opposed his plan to bomb Iran.

The President’s Daily Brief, or BDP, has traditionally been a text but also contains graphics and images. It is presented to the president and key Cabinet members to inform them of global situations, which then informs their decision-making.

One idea is to create a video version of the BDP that emulates a Fox News broadcast, one of Trump’s preferred methods of news consumption, according to four people with knowledge of these discussions.

Based on Trump’s public schedule, Trump has taken the PDB 14 times, which is less than once a week. This represents a significant decrease from his predecessors, including Trump’s previous term, during which he received 55 briefings before the end of May.

People privy to these conversations said Gabbard believes that the cadence of a traditional briefing does not suit Trump’s preferences for consuming information. He also does not trust the intelligence officials presenting the briefing.

White House officials continue their campaign against news agencies, protecting the president’s image despite what other sources are saying.

When NBC asked DNI Press Secretary Olivia Coleman for a statement, she said, “This so-called ‘reporting’ is laughable, absurd, and flat-out false. In true fake news fashion, NBC is publishing yet another anonymously sourced false story.”

White House Spokesman Davis Ingle referred to this story as “libelous garbage from unnamed sources” and said, “President Trump has assembled a world-class intelligence team whom he is constantly communicating with and receiving real-time updates on all pressing national security issues. Ensuring the safety and security of the American people is President Trump’s number one priority.”

The BDP is often tailored to the President’s preferences in terms of which intelligence sectors to focus on and minor adjustments to the textual presentations. However, Gabbard has discussed even more extensive changes than previously made for Trump, including some unconventional ideas, according to anonymous sources with direct knowledge of the situation. 

Besides the Fox News-style broadcast, another proposal suggests adding maps with video game-style bomb explosions, along with a focus on pictures and graphics.

“The problem with Trump is that he doesn’t read,” said another person with direct knowledge of the PDB discussions. “He’s on broadcast all the time.”