Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii, has been confirmed by the Senate as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, with a narrow 52-48 vote.
Driving the news: Despite concerns from both Democrats and Republicans about her lack of formal intelligence experience, Gabbard assured senators that she would refocus on the office’s core missions and rein in the agency’s scope.
- GOP senators who initially expressed concerns about Gabbard’s stance on Edward Snowden, Syria and Russia were won over by her promise to focus on coordinating federal intelligence work and serving as the president’s chief intelligence adviser.
- Democrats, however, pointed out that Gabbard had no experience working for an intelligence agency and raised concerns about her past stances on Russia, Syria, and Snowden, which they deemed disqualifying.
- Gabbard, a military veteran with no formal intelligence experience, has emphasized her deployment to the Middle East as a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard and her past presidential bid in 2020.
