The nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence under Donald Trump had mostly escaped widespread attention, with critics instead targeting Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz.
However, she has now become the newest appointee from the Trump administration to face examination due to her controversial history.
Amid rising inquiries regarding her associations with Russia and Syria, the former congresswoman from Hawaii convened with senior Republican figures on Capitol Hill on Monday to reinforce her backing.
Gabbard, who holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, has previously spoken in defense of the now-ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, asserting that he does not qualify as an adversary of the United States. She traveled to Damascus to visit Assad in 2017, four years subsequent to accusations of his use of chemical weapons against his citizens.
Following Assad’s recent retreat to Moscow with his family, former Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger took to X to mock her, stating, “I wonder if @TulsiGabbard will provide Assad with refuge at her home? They’re such good pals.”
John Bolton, who served as Trump’s National Security Adviser, also scrutinized Gabbard’s decision-making in an interview with Politico, suggesting that her foreign policy views resembled a “funhouse of mirrors.”
He brought attention to her endorsement of a Russian-influenced conspiracy suggesting that the U.S. was engaged in biological warfare research in Ukraine, claiming that she possesses “a tendency to accept the most outrageous propaganda from some of America’s fiercest opponents.”
Bolton asserted that Gabbard’s perspective “surpasses conventional political dialogue within this nation—and indeed suggests the presence of a particular flaw, perhaps even a flaw of character, indicating that she is unaware of the implications of her words.”
In a strange turn of events, Russian state media (unsurprisingly) endorsed Gabbard’s candidacy for America’s spymaster, which only intensified the criticism directed at her.
She will require Senate confirmation to assume the role that oversees 18 intelligence agencies and manages a budget exceeding $70 billion.
The former Democrat, who sought the party’s presidential nomination in 2020 but was unsuccessful, held meetings on Monday with Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), James Lankford (R-OK), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who had previously described her as “extremely intelligent and capable.”
Transition spokesperson Alexa Henning defended Gabbard against Bolton’s comments, asserting to Politico: “John Bolton is no longer relevant, and his declaration that he would write in Dick Cheney for president this year should inform you about his disastrous foreign policy views that lead to endless wars and additional casualties.”
Henning emphasized that Gabbard “is fully aligned with President Trump and his remarks regarding the developments in Syria this past weekend. This alignment is precisely why President Trump was re-elected, to halt perpetual conflicts and prioritize America’s interests.”
