I believe removing the GUI will negatively impact node adoption and create significant security risks by forcing users toward third party alternatives. If Bitcoin Core includes a wallet, it needs a UX.
I think Core should provide a full solution. In an era where malicious interfaces are so easy to generate, providing a UX that carries the same trust level as the underlying node is vital for user safety.
We often underestimate the power of a good UX to attract users. If the interface is great, more people will use it, and we all want more people to run nodes.
The GUI is actually how I got my start in Bitcoin.