Despite several red flags surrounding her past views and statements, the GOP-led Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday advanced Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to become the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The 9-8 vote was along party lines, bringing Gabbard closer to being confirmed by the full Senate.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair, Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), told reporters after the vote, “The Intelligence Committee just voted for Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be the Director of National Intelligence favorably to the full United States Senate. We look forward to her confirmation and working with her to keep America safe.”
This vote followed an important decision from Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), who had been a key swing vote. Despite concerns over Gabbard’s refusal to call Edward Snowden a traitor, Young said he secured commitments from her on several key issues, including preventing leaks like Snowden’s, not pardoning him, and supporting the reauthorization of critical surveillance laws.
“I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard’s engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported,” Young said, adding that securing these commitments was vital for national security. “Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi’s nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security.”
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) also supported Gabbard in the committee vote, marking another significant win. With Collins and Young on board, Gabbard’s chances of confirmation in the full Senate look stronger, although she can only afford to lose three Republican votes. Senators like Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are expected to oppose her, while others, such as Senator John Curtis (R-Utah), have raised further concerns.
Gabbard’s nomination has been controversial from the start, due to several red flags. Her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was accused of using chemical weapons against his people, raised alarms. Additionally, her comments on Russia and the Ukraine war have been seen as sympathetic to Moscow, with some of her views echoed on Russian state media.
Another major point of concern has been her defense of Edward Snowden. During her confirmation hearing, Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) pressed her on whether she considered Snowden a traitor. Gabbard avoided the question, instead focusing on preventing future leaks. Lankford argued it should be “universally accepted” that sharing top-secret documents with foreign powers is a betrayal.
Privately, Gabbard reassured senators that she didn’t believe Snowden had proper channels to report his concerns, but her failure to directly condemn him in the hearing raised red flags for some.
For now, Gabbard has secured enough support from key Republican senators to move forward, but her path to confirmation is far from guaranteed.
