Intel Committee approves Trump’s spy chief nominated – in spite of controversy

On By Littum

Topline

The Senate Intelligence Committee signed the director of the national intelligence-nominated Tulsi Gabbard with a 9-8 vote on Tuesday, More Business reported– A significant step forward for Trump allies, whose foreign policy views have made some Republicans skeptical.

Timeline

4th February, 14.35 ESTThe Senate Intelligence Committee voted privately on party lines to send Gabbard, one of President Donald Trump’s more controversial elections, to the Senate floor for approval, where she can only afford to lose three Republican votes if all democratic votes against her confirmation, as expected.

February 4 at. 10:30 EstPrior to the voting, late. Todd Young, R-IND.-Who had a heated exchange with Gabbard during her hearing about Edward Snowden and was Reported one of the last votes she needed to get out of the committee –tweeted He would support her nomination after securing obligations from her “that will promote our national security.”

February 3rd Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, Member of Moderate Intelligence Committee who had expressed reservations over Gabbard, said She wants to support the nominee because they share the same vision of shrinking the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and said she is looking forward to working with Gabbard to “strengthen our national security.”

January 30 During a Senate Intelligence Committee grilled, Gabbard would not give a yes or no answer when asked several times if she believes that the National Security Agency Leaker Edward Snowden is a “traitor” as her previous defense of Snowden , including sponsorship legislation to drop the charges against him during her time at Congress is an adhesive point for senators on both sides of the time, although Gabbard told the committee that she believes he “broke the law.”

Gabbard had a tense exchange with Senator Jerry Moran, R-Can.-A of the three who are reportedly on the fence as to whether to vote for her-when Moran asked if Russia would get “a passport” in political postings , referring to Gabbard’s previous statements, some are considered sympathetic to the Kremlin, which Gabbard replied, “I am offended by the question, no country or group or individual will get a passport.”

Gabbard performed Gabbard in her opening declaration what she described as politicization of intelligence agencies, and repeated Trump’s rhetoric: She said Trump’s opponents weapons from the FBI to “false portray him as a doll of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin” and she criticized it Former Obama -Director of Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA director John Brennan.

Gabbard, who approached his controversial meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said she has not “no love for Assad, (former Libyan dictator Muammar) Gaddafi or any dictator,” I just hate al- Qaida. “

January 30 Collins, Moran and Young, sitting on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which will interview Gabbard public on Thursday, has not indicated how they will vote, Politico reportedThe chances are threatening the panel to vote against sending Gabbard’s nomination to the full Senate for approval.

January 27Told Collins The hill She is not convinced that Gabbard has turned course for her previous opposition to section 702 of the Foreign Intervention Act, which allows the US government to monitor non-citizens abroad without a justification, telling Outlet Gabbard’s answer in a questionnaire was “very uncovered… I read them as ‘I look at the reforms and see if they meet my concerns.’ “

Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, who also sits on the intelligence committee, said to the hill “It’s Back to See” whether Gabbard will pass the pattern with the panel, which is divided 9-8 between Republicans and Democrats, which means all GOP Senators must vote for Gabbard if one assumes that all Democrats are voting against her.

January 26thSenator Lindsey Graham, Rs.C., told NBC He is inclined to vote for all of Trump’s nominees, but wants to “see how the hearing is going”, specifically with reference to Gabbard’s controversial visits to Syria and her previous call for charges to be dropped against Snowden.

What to look at

Gabbard or any of Trump’s nominees can afford to lose no more than three votes to be confirmed, provided all Democrats vote against them. Three Republicans – Sens. Mitch McConnell, Collins and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska-proofed under Defense Secretary Pete Hegeth’s verification process that they are willing to bow their party and vote against Trump’s elections. Hegeth was ultimately confirmed, but Vice President JD Vance had to cast a draw.

What is the director of National Intelligence?

The Director of National Intelligence serves as head of the intelligence community, a group of over a dozen spy agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. The post was created after 11 September -attack, which was partly blamed for a failure of US intelligence services to share information. The director also advises the president on intelligence issues and puts together the president’s Daily Brief, a digestion of national security information. Trump’s selection of Gabbard reflects his long -standing distrust of the intelligence agencies that extend back to his first period.

Who is Tulsi Gabbard?

Gabbard in 2002 was the youngest person, Democrat from 2013-2021 and was seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party early in his political career. She ran for president in 2020 before dropping and approved Joe Biden. She was known for colliding with other democratic candidates, especially on foreign policy.

Why did Gabbard leave the Democratic Party?

In 2022, Gabbard announced that she was leaving the party to become an independent and called it “an elitist cabal of hotter driven by cowardness” in a video message. She became a frequent guest on conservative news programs over the next two years and performed with Trump on the campaign track before she announced in October that she was coming to the Republican Party and approved Trump. “Today’s Democrat Party is completely unrecognizable,” Gabbard said, publishing the message at a rally in Greensboro with Trump.

What happened to Gabbard and Harris during the 2019 debate?

Gabbard’s clash with the then Sen. Kamala Harris during the debate was a breakout moment in her Longshot campaign. Despite the fact that Biden was Frontrunner, Gabbard Harris targeted by highlighting his role in bringing marijuana-related beliefs during Harris’ time as charges in California during an exchange of criminal justice reform.

What are Gabbard’s foreign policy views?

Gabbard has taken a controversial attitude towards US military commitment to foreign conflicts and describes himself as a “dove” when it comes to “counterproductive war changes” but a “Hawk” about the “war on terrorists.”

Why is Gabbard controversial – and what does Gabbard think of Russia and Syria?

In addition to her changing political attitude, Gabbard has interacted with and defended us opponents, including Russia and Syria. She has blamed the Biden administration for burning Russia’s war with Ukraine and arguing against Ukraine’s admission to NATO. She Also claimed US-funded BioLabs in Ukraine could leak dangerous pathogens after Russia basically claimed that the United States and Ukraine operate biological arms facilities in Ukraine (although she did not seem to repeat in particular the bioweapon requirement). Gabbard met with Assad who terrorized his own people in the country’s civil war in 2017 and said during a 2019 2019 MSNBC interview He “is not the enemy of the United States,” though she later called Assad a “brutal dictator.” Gabbard also sponsored legislation during his time in Congress, which called on the US government to hand over its charges against Snowden, who were indicted for violating the espionage law of leaking national defense information. Due to these attitudes some Democrats have accused her to be sympathy for Russia’s regime – an assertion she has Long denied.

What do Republicans say about Gabbard?

So far, no Republican Senators have said they will vote against Gabbard, but at her hearing, several expressed reservations expressed. Collins questioned Gabbard’s attitude towards Snowden, and late. James Lankford, R-Okla., Initially questioned whether Gabbard would support section 702 of the Foreign Information Act. Gabbard voted against legislation that authorized the action during her time in Congress, but turned the course after she was nominated for National Intelligence Director, issuing a statement earlier this month about her support for the surveillance program. Lankford publicly said he would support her after she approved section 702 and Gabbard secured Collins’ support on Monday.

Additional reading

Will Tulsi Gabbard be confirmed as Trump’s Intel Director? Some GOP senators skeptical of her record over Russia and Syria. (Forbes)