Tulsi Gabbard is facing Senate’s Confirmation Hearing: Live Updates

Democrats plan to question her about her support for Russia and the overturned government in Syria. Ms. Gabbard has said that US opposition to the Bashar al-Assad government had increased the risk of the Islamic State and other terrorist groups being able to grow in strength. And she has said that the United States was trying to destroy Russia by supporting Ukraine.

Senator Mark Warner from Virginia, the top Democrat of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is expected to challenge Mrs. Gabbard over her support for Mr. Assad and to President Vladimir V. Putin from Russia.

“You have apologized for our opponent’s worst actions and instead accused the United States and our allies to them,” is Mr. Warner ready to say, according to an excerpt from his opening declaration.

Mr. Warner said Ms. Gabbard’s refusal of the assessment of Mr. Assad used chemical weapons, and her accusation of NATO to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raised serious questions about whether she could develop confidence with American allies.

“I do not know if your intention to give these statements was to defend these dictators or whether you simply were not aware of the intelligence and how your statements would be perceived,” is Mr. Warner ready to say. “In both cases, the serious question of your judgment.”

Ms. Gabbard is ready to push back against such criticism and argues that Mr. Trump won a mandate for change and that she wants to be an independent voice.

“The truth is: What really disturbs my political opponents is my consistent overview of independence, regardless of political affiliation, and my rejection of being someone’s doll,” is Ms. Gabbard ready to say, according to excerpts from her prepared remarks.

If confirmed, Ms. Gabbard be responsible for developing the president’s Daily Brief, a compendium of the most important intelligence that the United States collects every day.

At times during his first administration, Mr. Trump frustrated with his intelligence briefers. But in Ms. Gabbard would have the president someone who has similar views, including in Russia.

Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat in Arizona, said the director of National Intelligence was responsible for ensuring that the president had the right intelligence and that he was in doubt as to whether she could do it effectively.

“It’s not an easy job,” Mr. Kelly “You have to silence through a lot of things and you have to have really good judgment to do this job. And I have trouble with her judgment. She often contradicts our own intelligence community. “

Ms. Gabbard will fight against criticism that she is not qualified for the position and notes that she has taken intelligence as a member of the armed services and a member of Congress for two decades.

“My experiences on the battlefield and in the congress halls have given me a deep understanding of the complex challenges that our nation is facing,” she is ready to say.

Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine, have stated that they will ask her about Mr. Snowden and section 702, a law that allows guarantee wiretapping abroad.

But it is not clear how powerful Republicans will question Mrs. Gabbard. Senator Tom Cotton, Republican from Arkansas and the chairman of the committee, has said that Mrs. Gabbard has said things that annoy the minority democrats, but that she has also voted in violation of the Republican majority.

When she was a democratic congregation, Ms. Gabbard Disagree with Mr. Trump on some questions, especially about Israel and Iran.

She has criticized Israeli control over the Golan heights and sided with Democrats in condemning Israeli settlements. She was critical of Mr. Trump’s decision in the first period to pull “Illegal and constitutional act of war.”