The Senate has voted to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.
Gabbard was a controversial choice for President Donald Trump, with Democrats and some Republicans questioning her stances on Russia, Syria, and other foreign-policy related matters.
BOOM!! Tulsi Gabbard has just been CONFIRMED as the Director of National Intelligence. This is a massive loss for the swamp.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 12, 2025
Congratulations @TulsiGabbard!!
🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/tExdt83cci
🚨 #BREAKING: Tulsi Gabbard has officially been CONFIRMED as President Trump’s Director of National Intelligence
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 12, 2025
Another MASSIVE loss for the deep state!
Congratulations Tulsi! pic.twitter.com/AKLlN0fODQ
Gabbard, a former Democratic Representative from Hawaii, endured a contentious confirmation hearing. Democratic lawmakers criticized her lack of intelligence experience and her views on issues such as Edward Snowden, who she had previously referred to as a “brave whistleblower” for exposing the National Security Agency’s spying on American citizens.
During her hearing, she refused to label Snowden as a “traitor” but acknowledged that he broke the law.
Another issue for her critics was her decision to meet with then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017. Her opposition claimed she legitimized the former dictator. However, she has always maintained that the meeting was intended to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in the region without involving U.S. troops.
Gabbard came under scrutiny from people on both sides of the aisle when she expressed her support for Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which has been used by some federal agencies to spy on American citizens without first obtaining a warrant. She previously opposed the measure.
After Trump announced her nomination in November, Democrats and their allies in the establishment media attempted to paint her as a Russian asset, claiming she was sympathetic to the Kremlin.
6 months ago, Tulsi Gabbard was placed on a secret domestic terror surveillance program by Biden/Harris.
— Holden Culotta (@Holden_Culotta) January 30, 2025
Hillary Clinton defamed her as a Russian asset.
Now, Tulsi is heading to her first Senate confirmation hearing to lead the entire US intelligence community.
“I never would… pic.twitter.com/ASFjLp2ngJ
During her hearing, Gabbard committed to keeping the intelligence community free from political influence while working to counter the United States’ adversaries on a global scale. In particular, she highlighted the importance of combating foreign interference in U.S. elections coming from Russia, China, and Iran. She also vowed to reform surveillance practices to ensure that they are respecting constitutional rights.