Just one week after he was sworn in for his second term, President Donald Trump’s Cabinet is beginning to come together. Four of his appointees have officially been confirmed by the Senate, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director John Ratcliffe of the CIA, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (whose final vote was particularly fraught).
Some of Trump’s most controversial picks will sit for their confirmation hearings this week, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard. The road to confirmation seems most rocky for Gabbard, Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence, who will be questioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday. Many key senators have voiced concerns over her policy views and a meeting with former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Here’s what we know about Gabbard and her chances of being confirmed.
Who is Tulsi Gabbard?
At first glance, Gabbard doesn’t appear to fit the mold of a typical Trump nominee. A veteran of the Army National Guard, Gabbard served four terms in the House of Representatives as a Democrat representing Hawaii. Gabbard resigned from her role as Democratic National Committee vice-chair in 2016 in order to endorse Bernie Sanders’s candidacy for president.
She later mounted her own primary bid for president in 2020 but later dropped out and threw her support behind Joe Biden. After her exit from Congress in 2021, Gabbard’s political positions began to grow more conservative, culminating in her public split with the Democratic Party and eventual endorsement of Trump.
Last November, Trump announced that he was selecting Gabbard to serve as his director of national intelligence, citing her military experience. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!” he said in a statement posted to Truth Social.
What have senators said about Gabbard’s nomination?
Gabbard did not allay concerns about her qualifications during her recent meetings with senators on Capitol Hill. Republican aides told The Wall Street Journal that Gabbard appeared unclear about what the position entailed during a meeting with Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee. In December, one Senate Republican told The Hill, “I’ve heard that she’s not very well prepared … I’ve heard not great things.”
As a House Democrat, Gabbard previously voted against the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the government to gather the electronic communications of foreign targets without a warrant, citing concerns about its possible threat to civil liberties. Several Republican senators indicated publicly that Gabbard’s stance could be problematic for her, prompting a reversal from Gabbard on the subject.
Gabbard is also facing questions about a 2017 meeting with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, who was recently deposed. At the time, Gabbard received significant criticism for her secret trip to the region and meeting with Assad, a leader that the U.S. government recognizes as a dictator responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of his own citizens.
On Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said in an interview on NBC News’ Meet the Press that he is inclined to vote “yes” but wants to see if Gabbard’s hearing answers his lingering questions. “Why did you go to Syria? What did you do regarding Assad? Why do you think Edward Snowden should be hailed as a hero? I certainly don’t,” he said.
Will Gabbard be confirmed?
Pete Hegseth’s recent confirmation offered a preview of the tough fight that Gabbard is likely to face. While the new secretary of Defense was voted out of committee with relative ease, Gabbard will need support of the majority of the Senate Intelligence Committee to advance and cannot afford to lose one Republican on the panel, a result that’s not a 100 percent certainty. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who voted against Hegseth, serves on the committee and appears undecided on her nomination. She told Axios that Gabbard’s previous backing of a House measure that supported dropping the federal charges against Edward Snowden has prompted concern. Punchbowl News reports that Senator Todd Young of Indiana, a Republican, is viewed as a possible swing vote on the committee who could opt against supporting Gabbard.
If she gets beyond the committee, Republicans can only afford to lose three votes in the whole chamber in order to confirm Gabbard. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a Republican and the chairman of the committee, has denounced what he deems “smears” against Gabbard and her record. “Tulsi served for more than 20 years honorably, she passed every background check, and she’s a patriot with integrity. She doesn’t deserve to have her integrity impugned,” he said on social media.
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