TULSI GABBARD, former Democratic congresswoman and president Donald Trump's nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), has been approved by a key Senate committee in a private vote, moving her nomination forward to a full Senate vote.
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led by Republicans, voted 9-8 along party lines to advance Gabbard’s nomination. A full Senate vote on her confirmation is expected as early as next week, according to the Washington Post.
Gabbard, 43, has faced bipartisan concerns over her suitability for the role overseeing US intelligence agencies.
“The Intelligence Committee just voted for Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be the Director of National Intelligence favourably to the full United States Senate,” Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton told reporters after the closed-door vote on Tuesday.
“We look forward to her confirmation and working with her to keep America safe,” he was quoted as saying by The Hill.
The committee vote came hours after Senator Todd Young, a key Republican swing vote, announced his support for Gabbard. On Monday, Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) also confirmed her support ahead of the committee decision.
Gabbard, a four-term congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate, has served in the military with three deployments to the Middle East and Africa. She was previously a Democrat but moved to the Republican Party.
In October 2022, she announced her departure from the Democratic Party and became an Independent.
On August 26, 2024, she endorsed Trump’s re-election bid and later joined his transition team as co-chair. She officially became a Republican on October 22, 2024, citing Trump’s leadership and his transformation of the party.
Her nomination has drawn scrutiny over past statements and meetings. In 2017, she met with then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while he faced accusations of using chemical weapons.
Her views on Russia and past comments on the war in Ukraine have also been debated, with some critics suggesting they were in line with Russian state media narratives.
Under US law, Cabinet-level positions and other senior administration roles require Senate confirmation. The process begins with a hearing by the relevant Senate committee.
(With inputs from PTI)
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