On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). It was a close party-line vote 52-48, with former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voting against Gabbard.
Gabbard is the 14th Cabinet member to be confirmed by the Senate.
Despite Republicans having a 53-seat majority in the Senate, Gabbard’s confirmation was never assured. Democrats painted a picture of her as a potential Russian asset, invoking bizarre theories about her connections and motivations. Amid the social media frenzy, she has been the target of multiple conspiracy theories.
With over two decades of service in the Army National Guard, Gabbard brings military experience and a unique perspective on national security challenges. Critics often scrutinize her ties to controversial figures, specifically her infamous meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017. Additionally, her remarks regarding Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine were polarizing, drawing fire from both parties during her confirmation hearing.
"I want to warn the American people watching at home: You will hear lies and smears that challenge my loyalty to and love for our country. Those who oppose my nomination imply that I am loyal to something or someone other than God, my own conscience, and the Constitution of the United States, accusing me of being Trump’s puppet, Putin’s puppet, Assad’s puppet, a guru’s puppet, Modi’s puppet, not recognizing the absurdity of simultaneously being the puppet of five different puppet masters," she said during her opening statement at her confirmation hearings.
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During the hearings, Gabbard was grilled by both Democrats and Republicans about her past positions. A pivotal moment arose when lawmakers asked her about classifying whistleblower Edward Snowden as a “traitor.”
Despite the controversies, support for Gabbard grew as key Republican senators, including Susan Collins and Todd Young, publicly endorsed her nomination, as did Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Bill Cassidy (R-La). Collins and Murkowski had previously voted against the confirmation of Pete Hegseth for secretary of Defense.
Last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee advanced her nomination to the full Senate with a narrow 9-8 vote along party lines, signaling a likely confirmation that many observers had not anticipated. Following this, the full Senate moved her nomination forward with a 52-46 procedural vote, largely along party lines.
"The intelligence community needs to refocus on its core mission — collecting intelligence and providing unbiased analysis of that information," Senate Majority Leader John Thune said. "That's what Tulsi Gabbard is committed to ensuring if she is confirmed to be DNI. And I believe she has the knowledge and leadership capabilities to get it done."
At her confirmation hearing, Gabbard defended her qualifications, citing her military leadership and congressional service on key security and defense committees, which she said gave her a deep understanding of the nation’s challenges.
"In both roles [I was] engaging with world leaders, in both roles being privy to highly classified intelligence," Gabbard said. "So I know first-hand how essential accurate, unbiased, and timely intelligence is to the president, to Congress, and to our warfighters. I also know the heavy cost of intelligence failures and abuses."
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