The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the director of national intelligence in a largely party-line vote on Wednesday, overcoming strong objections from Democrats and initial concerns from Republicans regarding her qualifications and past statements. The 52-48 vote concluded two months of deliberations on whether the former Hawaii congresswoman was suited to lead the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies and brief President Trump daily on security matters.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was the sole Republican to vote against Gabbard’s confirmation. Some Republican senators had initially questioned her stance on intelligence-gathering practices, particularly her past opposition to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). While serving in the House, Gabbard had pushed for repealing the law, which grants broad surveillance authority. Additionally, concerns arose over her past remarks about Syrian leader Bashar Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During confirmation hearings, both Democratic and Republican senators pressed Gabbard on whether she viewed former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden as a traitor. Snowden had stolen 1.5 million classified documents, an act that frustrated many lawmakers. Despite repeated questioning, Gabbard declined to label him a traitor, which further frustrated Republicans.
Republican senators also noted that Gabbard struggled to articulate clear answers in private meetings. Senator Susan Collins was among those initially doubtful, questioning whether Gabbard had genuinely embraced the surveillance powers under Section 702, which provides roughly 60% of the intelligence included in the president’s daily brief.
However, Republicans eventually united behind Gabbard after Vice President J.D. Vance played a key role in swaying support. Vance worked closely with Senator Todd Young, a former Marine intelligence officer, to ease GOP concerns. Additionally, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton remained a steadfast supporter of Gabbard’s nomination, strengthening Republican backing.
Supporters of Gabbard argue that she represents the kind of “disruptor” Trump seeks in leadership roles. They compare her to Pete Hegseth, the recently confirmed Pentagon chief, and claim that she will overhaul the intelligence community, which they believe has been “weaponized” against Trump. Many Trump allies continue to cite a controversial 2020 letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials, which suggested that reports about Hunter Biden’s laptop could be a “Russian influence operation.”
Vance was instrumental in ensuring Young’s support, holding multiple discussions with him between Gabbard’s turbulent confirmation hearing and the committee vote. The Senate Intelligence Committee ultimately advanced her nomination with full Republican support, leading to a procedural vote on Monday where all Republicans present voted in favor of moving toward final confirmation.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised Gabbard as a “patriot, motivated by service,” highlighting her extensive background. “Tulsi Gabbard has worn the uniform of our country for the last 22 years, leading American soldiers in some of the most dangerous parts of the world,” Thune stated. He also emphasized her eight years in Congress, where she served on the House Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, and Armed Services committees.
Democrats, however, strongly opposed her appointment, arguing that she lacked the necessary experience and had displayed poor judgment on critical intelligence matters. They pointed to her skepticism of U.S. intelligence findings on Assad’s use of chemical weapons and her alignment with Putin’s reasoning for invading Ukraine.
“By any objective measure and by every objective measure as well, she is not qualified,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “From the moment she was nominated, both Democrats and Republicans were puzzled by the choice.”
Schumer criticized Trump’s selection, stating, “Of all people Donald Trump could have picked to oversee national intelligence, he picked someone known for repeating Russian propaganda and getting duped by conspiracy theories.” He went on to claim that if the vote had been conducted by secret ballot, Gabbard would have received no more than 10 votes.
Senator Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, was also outspoken in his opposition. He argued that Gabbard had “demonstrated she’s not up to the task” of representing the intelligence community, citing her defense of Assad’s claim that he had not used chemical weapons, despite U.S. intelligence reports stating otherwise.
Warner further contended that Gabbard had “knowingly met with the Syrian cleric who threatened to conduct serial bomb attacks against the United States” and had unfairly blamed the U.S. and NATO for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He pointed to her past assertions that the Biden administration had failed to acknowledge Putin’s concerns about Ukraine joining NATO.
Republican senators faced considerable pressure to support Trump’s controversial nominees, including Gabbard, Hegseth, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose confirmation vote for Secretary of Health and Human Services is set for later this week.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse was among the most vocal critics of Gabbard’s appointment, characterizing it as “part of a pattern of unilateral disarmament by the Trump administration against Russia.”
Citing a Washington Post article from November, Whitehouse noted that “Gabbard’s appointment as head of national intelligence elicited the most excitement in Russia because she has long been regarded as a darling of the propagandist Russian R.T. network.”
“Russian TV has called Ms. Gabbard ‘our friend Tulsi,’” Whitehouse said. “[A] Russian newspaper published an op-ed, and it was titled, ‘The CIA and FBI are trembling [that] Trump protégé Tulsi Gabbard will support Russia.’”
Despite these objections, Gabbard’s confirmation received strong backing from Republican leadership. Tom Cotton, a key figure on national security within the GOP, defended her against accusations of disloyalty.
“Let me remind everyone that Ms. Gabbard has served in our Army for more than two decades, she has multiple combat tours, and she still wears the uniform today,” Cotton stated. “She has undergone five FBI background checks.”
One of the primary hurdles Gabbard faced during her confirmation was her prior advocacy for repealing Section 702 of FISA. In the past, she criticized the law as an “overreach” that infringed on civil liberties. However, in private meetings with Republican senators, she clarified that her stance had evolved due to recent reforms to the program.
Senator James Lankford, a member of the Intelligence Committee, revealed that he decided to back Gabbard after she reassured him that she now supported Section 702, describing it as a “vital” tool for national security.
Lankford noted in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Gabbard had convinced him she would uphold the surveillance authority, which played a crucial role in securing Republican votes for her confirmation.
Ultimately, Gabbard’s path to confirmation reflected the deep divisions in the Senate, with Republicans rallying behind Trump’s pick despite lingering concerns, while Democrats staunchly opposed her, citing her past positions and perceived sympathies toward Russia and Assad.