Washington, D.C., February 13, 2025 – The Europe Today: The United States Senate has confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in a closely contested vote. The Senate voted 52 to 48 on Wednesday, largely along party lines, to approve Gabbard’s nomination to oversee the 18-agency intelligence community and serve as the top intelligence adviser to President Donald Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to oppose Gabbard’s nomination, while no Democrats or independents voted in favor of her confirmation.
Confirmation Hearings and Controversies
During her confirmation hearing last month, Gabbard pledged to deliver “unbiased, timely, and accurate” intelligence to both the President and Congress. She vowed to seek the truth in intelligence matters and ensure transparency in her role.
However, her nomination was met with criticism, particularly regarding her limited experience in intelligence and past controversial positions. Concerns were raised over her previous statements perceived as sympathetic toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, her 2017 meeting with then-Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad, and her defense of former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who leaked classified documents before seeking asylum in Russia.
Senate Debate and Opposition
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer strongly opposed Gabbard’s confirmation, highlighting her past comments and positions.
“It’s a person who has said things like, the Ukraine invasion was caused by the United States, not by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. It’s somebody who has denied Assad’s use of chemical weapons despite all of the intelligence,” Schumer stated on the Senate floor before the vote.
Schumer further argued that Gabbard’s appointment could endanger national security, saying, “My guess is, if a secret ballot were cast on Tulsi Gabbard, maybe she’d get 10 votes. You all know how bad she is.”
Despite the opposition, Gabbard’s confirmation marks another key appointment as the administration seeks to reshape the intelligence community and federal government operations. Her tenure as DNI will be closely scrutinized amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and domestic intelligence challenges.
