Tulsi Gabbard sworn in as director of national intelligence

Former lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed Wednesday after Republican senators backed President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the intelligence community.

With 52 votes in favor and 48 against, the vote was split along party lines to confirm Ms. Gabbard, who will oversee a community of 18 federal counterintelligence agencies.

This vote is another victory for President Trump as his appointees continue to face off with senators.

After the vote, Ms. Gabbard told President Trump that she would "help deliver on the objectives that the American people clearly entrusted to him in this election."

"The American people have little trust in the intelligence community, largely due to the political use and politicization of an entity that is supposed to be focused solely on ensuring our national security," she said, moments after being sworn in as director of national intelligence, in a ceremony held in the Oval Office at the White House.

Ms. Gabbard said she was honored to serve in President Trump's administration "to help rebuild public trust and keep the American people safe."

Ms. Gabbard received support from every Republican senator except former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who joined the Democrats and opposed her candidacy.

Forty-three-year-old Gabbard, a former member of the Democratic Party, has faced questions from senators from both parties regarding her previous statements seen as support for opponents of the United States and a lack of experience.

Ms. Gabbard has never worked for any spy agency nor served on the House Counterintelligence Committee, while she was a four-term legislator.

She will now lead an agency that was created by Congress after the September 11, 2001 attacks, to coordinate the United States' vast counterintelligence apparatus, one of the most important positions in the US government dealing with national security.

The selection of the director of national intelligence is of great importance,” says Emily Harding, Director of the Program on Intelligence, National Security, and Technology at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She emphasizes the broad access that this director has over classified materials and the role he plays as an intelligence advisor to the president.

Russia, Syria and Snowden

Mr. Trump's announcement in November of Ms. Gabbard's nomination caused consternation in national security circles, adding to concerns about the politicization of intelligence gathering.

Skeptics have raised concerns about Ms. Gabbard's past statements that have been seen as friendly to Russian aggression in Ukraine and her defense of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Ms. Gabbard visited Assad in Syria in 2017 while he was under US sanctions.

While facing questions from senators, Ms. Gabbard was also asked about her previous defense of former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden, who illegally released thousands of classified documents and then sought asylum in Russia.

Some were clearly angered by her refusal to call Snowden a traitor.

Republicans who have expressed concerns have faced increased political pressure from President Trump and his ally, billionaire Elon Musk, who has warned that if they do not vote to confirm Ms. Gabbard, he will support candidates who challenge them in the upcoming Republican primaries.

Senator Todd Young, a member of the Intelligence Committee who initially did not support Ms. Tulsi Gabbard's nomination, released a statement supporting her before the committee voted in favor of Ms. Gabbard. The committee voted along party lines with 9 Republicans voting to 8 Democrats voting against, sending her nomination to the Senate for a final vote.

The senator, a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer, criticized Musk before endorsing Gabbard. Sen. Young said Gabbard assured him she would support intelligence professionals and provide unbiased information.

Ms. Gabbard's supporters welcomed her pledge to reduce her agency's staff as President Trump seeks to close entire federal agencies.

Previous nominees for the post have been veterans of the intelligence community and have been confirmed with bipartisan support. Daniel Coats, a former ambassador and Republican senator who served on the intelligence committee, was confirmed during President Trump's first term by 85 senators to 12.

Ms. Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 to register as an independent. She later endorsed Mr. Trump and joined the Republican Party in 2024. /VOA

  (A2 Televizion)