Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley voiced concerns Thursday about the fate of Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), warning that she may not have enough Republican support to be confirmed.
“I have to tell you, I’m worried by what I hear from some of my Republican colleagues,” Hawley said. “I’m worried that her nomination may be in jeopardy, and I’m just worried about what that will mean. We need reform in the intelligence community, and if Tulsi doesn’t get confirmed, I don’t know if we’ll get it.”
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President Donald Trump’s nominee, former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, faced intense questioning from both Republican and Democratic senators during her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing. Lawmakers grilled her over past praise for NSA leaker Edward Snowden, her evolving stance on electronic surveillance, and her controversial foreign policy positions.
Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party and endorsed Trump, sought to reassure Republicans that she would lead the intelligence community with integrity and commitment to national security. However, some senators remained unconvinced, casting doubt on whether she can secure enough votes for confirmation.
A major point of contention was Gabbard’s past support for Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked classified intelligence on U.S. surveillance programs in 2013.
Gabbard had previously hailed Snowden as a “brave whistleblower” and called for a presidential pardon. However, in her hearing, she softened her stance, emphasizing that her focus was now on preventing future intelligence leaks.
When Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) asked her directly if she considered Snowden a traitor, Gabbard sidestepped, saying, “I’m focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) pressed her further, asking whether she would advocate for a Snowden pardon if confirmed.
“If confirmed as DNI, my responsibility would be to ensure the security of our nation’s secrets, and I would not take actions to advocate for any pardon related to Snowden,” Gabbard responded.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the committee’s ranking Democrat, expressed strong opposition to her nomination, arguing that her past support for Snowden undermined the intelligence workforce.
“What message would it send to the intelligence workforce to have a DNI who would celebrate staff and contractors leaking our nation’s most sensitive secrets?” Warner asked.
Gabbard acknowledged that Snowden’s actions were illegal but argued that his leaks exposed unconstitutional surveillance programs, which led to necessary reforms.
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Gabbard also faced scrutiny over her changing stance on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows warrantless surveillance of foreign targets but has been criticized for sweeping in Americans’ data.
Previously, Gabbard had been a vocal opponent of the program, calling for more restrictions to protect American citizens. However, during her hearing, she softened her position, citing recent amendments that she said had addressed her concerns.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) was not satisfied with her answer, pressing her on whether she supported requiring a warrant to search for Americans’ data under Section 702.
“You will be the Director of National Intelligence, and people will be wanting to hear from you about what we should do as policymakers,” Cornyn said, indicating frustration with her noncommittal response.
Gabbard also faced renewed scrutiny over her foreign policy views, particularly her past meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and comments critical of U.S. intelligence assessments regarding chemical weapons attacks in Syria.
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Critics have accused Gabbard of echoing Russian and Syrian government propaganda, a claim she strongly rejected.
“The fact is what truly unsettles my political opponents is I refuse to be their puppet,” Gabbard said, defending her record of questioning U.S. military interventions and emphasizing her commitment to protecting national security.
Committee Chairman Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) defended Gabbard, dismissing accusations of disloyalty and praising her independent thinking.
“She has undergone five FBI background checks. I spent more than two hours last week reviewing the latest, putting eyes on more than 300 pages. It’s clean as a whistle,” Cotton said.
However, with Republicans holding a narrow 9-8 majority on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard will need every Republican vote to advance her nomination. Democrats are expected to oppose her unanimously, making her path to confirmation highly uncertain.
If the committee deadlocks, the nomination could still move to the full Senate, but it would then require a 60-vote supermajority—a steep hurdle in the divided chamber.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) suggested that Gabbard’s nomination is the most vulnerable among Trump’s key national security picks, warning that she is at serious risk of failing confirmation.
With Sen. Hawley publicly expressing concerns, the Republican divide over Gabbard’s confirmation is becoming more evident. If even one Republican senator opposes her in committee, her nomination could stall indefinitely.
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