Senate Confirms Tulsi Gabbard as Trump’s Intelligence Chief “`
WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as President Trump’s director of national intelligence on Wednesday, following Republican support despite initial reservations about her qualifications and judgment.
Gabbard’s appointment to oversee the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies was unconventional, given her past pro-Russia statements, meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, and support for Edward Snowden.
The former Democratic congresswoman and military veteran secured confirmation by a 52-48 vote, with unanimous Democratic opposition and only Senator Mitch McConnell voting against her among Republicans.
Her confirmation marks another high-profile appointment in the administration’s efforts to restructure the federal government, particularly the intelligence apparatus.
CIA and other intelligence agencies have offered buyouts to staff, while concerns have been raised regarding Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency’s access to intelligence operation databases.
Established in response to intelligence failures revealed by the September 11, 2001, attacks, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has faced Republican criticism for its size and alleged politicization, mirroring President Trump’s own skepticism towards intelligence services.
Republicans initially expressing concern about Gabbard’s stances on Snowden, Syria, and Russia were persuaded by her commitment to refocusing the office on its core missions: coordinating federal intelligence and advising the president.
Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, stated, despite lingering concerns, she appreciated Gabbard’s focus on limiting the agency’s scope and believed she would bring “independent thinking” to the role.
Former Senate GOP leader McConnell issued a statement following the vote, arguing Gabbard posed “unnecessary risk,” adding that the nation shouldn’t worry about potentially biased intelligence assessments from a director with a history of questionable judgment.
Democrats highlighted Gabbard’s lack of intelligence agency experience and cited her past positions on Russia, Syria, and Snowden as disqualifying. They also questioned her ability to resist presidential pressure and maintain essential intelligence sharing with allies.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer argued that trusting classified information to someone who echoes Russian propaganda and believes conspiracy theories is irresponsible, suggesting Republican support stemmed from pressure from President Trump.
Until securing Republican backing, Gabbard’s confirmation remained uncertain, necessitating near-unanimous Republican support given the Senate’s 53-47 split.
Pressure from President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” base and Elon Musk’s social media posts targeting Senator Todd Young for raising concerns about Gabbard influenced the outcome. Following a conversation with Musk, Young subsequently voiced his support for Gabbard.
Gabbard, a National Guard lieutenant colonel with two Middle East deployments and a 2020 presidential bid, lacks formal intelligence or government agency leadership experience.
Gabbard’s past praise of Snowden, who revealed classified information about U.S. surveillance programs before fleeing to Russia, prompted significant questioning during her confirmation hearing. Gabbard acknowledged Snowden’s disclosure of important information but emphasized that he broke the law.
Her 2017 meeting with Assad, who was recently deposed after a brutal civil war marked by alleged chemical weapons use, also drew criticism. Gabbard defended the meeting, asserting she challenged Assad on human rights issues.
Gabbard faced further scrutiny for echoing Russian propaganda justifying the Ukraine invasion and her past opposition to Section 702, a U.S. surveillance program targeting suspected overseas terrorists.
—AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
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