Senator James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, indicated that Tulsi Gabbard could be appointed as President-elect Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence—provided she meets a specific requirement.
During an appearance on the Wall Street Journal’s opinion podcast, Lankford mentioned that to secure sufficient Republican support for her confirmation, Gabbard would need to alter her view on the government’s 702 authority, which allows for the collection of intelligence on non-Americans deemed national security threats.
While serving in Congress, Gabbard openly supported changes aimed at limiting Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and she consistently opposed the law’s application to Americans.
“Well, now she’s going to be the advocate for 702 authority,” remarked Lankford.
He further noted, “It’s a valid question to ask, ‘Alright, how will you approach this? What are the implications?’ Because if she declares, ‘No, I want to reject all 702 authority,’ that essentially halts any of our national defense intelligence efforts.”
Considering Gabbard’s significant ideological shifts from her previous Democratic beliefs to align with the Republican party and Trump’s MAGA agenda, Lankford expressed confidence that she could adapt her stance.
“I’ve had the chance to sit down with her, and she will receive a fair opportunity to articulate her views and to state, ‘This is my perspective on these matters.’ I believe that’s the appropriate course of action,” Lankford told host Kim Strassel.
Lankford predicted that out of Trump’s 15 appointees requiring Senate confirmation, all could receive approval as part of an allegiance to the incoming president.
“It’ll be fascinating to observe. I don’t hear many voices publicly declaring, ‘I’m vehemently against this,’” Lankford remarked. “What I notice instead is a number of people indicating, ‘I want to ensure a fair opportunity for discussion. I want candidates to address questions openly.’”
