A group of nearly 100 former senior U.S. intelligence, diplomatic, and military officials has called for a closed-door Senate hearing to review Tulsi Gabbard’s record following her nomination as Director of National Intelligence by President-elect Donald Trump. In a letter to Senate leaders, the group expressed concern over Gabbard’s past actions, including her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and statements critics allege align with Russian narratives. The signatories, comprising ex-CIA officers and retired military members, questioned her ability to provide unbiased intelligence, citing her “sympathy for dictators” as a key issue.
The Trump transition team dismissed the criticism as partisan attacks, with spokesperson Alexa Henning accusing the officials of leveraging past intelligence failures to discredit Gabbard. Henning highlighted Gabbard’s military service and her history of challenging the establishment as strengths for the role. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who recently joined the Republican Party, endorsed Trump earlier this year and cited global conflicts as a reason for her alignment with his vision.
Despite criticism, Gabbard enjoys support from isolationist-leaning GOP lawmakers and Trump’s base. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) defended her nomination, arguing that opposition from the “uniparty” underscores her suitability for the position. However, her confirmation is expected to face resistance from hawkish Republicans in the Senate, potentially complicating the approval process.
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