Senate Intelligence Committee endorses Tulsi Gabbard for director position

The Senate Intelligence Committee narrowly endorsed Tulsi Gabbard to become director of national intelligence after a tense hearing where lawmakers asked probing questions about her views on Russia, Bashar al-Assad, and Edward Snowden. Gabbard, a former House Democrat from Hawaii and presidential candidate in 2020, faced scrutiny for her comments on Snowden and her 2017 trip to Syria. Despite initial doubts, Gabbard’s confirmation received last-minute support from key Republicans, including Sens. Susan Collins, James Lankford, and Todd Young, who cited private discussions with Gabbard as alleviating their concerns. Young also mentioned receiving reassurances from the White House, specifically Vice President JD Vance, and described the consultative process as positive and productive. Gabbard, an Army veteran who left the Democratic Party in 2022 and campaigned for Trump, is now expected to be confirmed with Republican-only votes in the full Senate. If confirmed, she will oversee the U.S. Intelligence community and serve as the president’s top adviser on intelligence matters.