Tulsi Gabbard confirmed by the Senate of Top Intelligence Post

The Senate confirmed on Wednesday that Tulsi Gabbard was the next director of National Intelligence in a 52 to 48 vote demonstrating President Trump’s political control over Republican lawmakers.

Ms. Gabbard had one of the most disputed confirmation hearings of all the president’s nominees. A number of Republican Senators joined Democrats to ask harsh questions about her earlier support from Edward Snowden, a former government contractor who released Reams of classified data, and her skepticism about Warrantless Wiretaps of OverSea’s communication.

Her defense of Bashar al-Assad, former Syrian dictator and her sympathy for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia also pause some Republican lawmakers.

But in the end, only a Republican was willing to oppose her. Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican from Kentucky and the former majority leader, voted against her. Mr. McConnell has taken attitudes against several of Mr. Trump’s nominees, but so far have not persuaded many in Hans Caucus to join him.

Before the floor vote, Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee fell into line and supported Ms. Gabbard’s confirmation. Some, like Senator Susan Collins from Maine, highlighted Ms. Gabbard’s promises to streamline the office. Others, like Senator Todd Young from Indiana, emphasized her promises of keeping responsible people leaking classified information and helping to approve overseas surveillance programs.

This support from skeptics paved the way for Mrs. Gabbard’s confirmation from the full Senate.

Democrats remained united against her. Senator Chuck Schumer from New York, the minority leader, said that Ms. Gabbard was not qualified. He said she would have received some Republican support in a secret vote. He said he was uneasy about her “long weakness” against Russia.

“We simply cannot, in good conscience, rely on our most classified secrets for someone who repeats Russian propaganda and falls for conspiracy theories,” said Mr. Schumer.

Mr. Schumer said there was pressure on Republicans to support Mrs. Gabbard. In recent weeks, supporters of Mr. Trump made a large number of calls on behalf of Ms. Gabbard. Some members of Mr. Trump’s coalition sees Mrs. Gabbard as a key voice in their movement and has demanded more traditional Republican senators back to the president’s election.

The Office of the Director of the National Intelligence’s most important job undoubtedly monitors the President’s Daily Brief, an intelligence summary together every morning. In Ms. Gabbard will Mr. Trump have someone in line with his foreign policy views that monitor these updates.

During his first period, Mr. Trump annoyed as briefers stayed too long on Russian influence operations. He often wanted orientations to focus on finance and trade. He also liked the agency’s insight into world leaders he met or with whom he hoped to enter into appointments.

Ms. Gabbard shares Mr. Trump’s skepticism about mainstream views of Russia as a serious national security threat. She is also, like Trump, deeply critical of the long overseas wars that the United States became involved in under George W. Bush administration.

There are still limits to office power and influence. While setting broad goals for the collection of intelligence, the individual spy agencies have latitude to set their own collection goals and collection goals.

These boundaries with Ms. Gabbard’s obligation to empty the office’s work persuaded Republican lawmakers that opposing her nomination was not worth the political risk.

Ms. Gabbard’s tough opposition to foreign wars and frequent appearances on Fox News has made her a treasure of the Trump Wing of the Republican Party. Elon Musk, President’s Allies, attacked at least one senator, Mr. Young, who was believed to falter on his support for Mrs. Gabbard. Mr. Musk originally called Mr. Young for a “deep state -Marionet” then withdrew his comment after talking to him. Mr. Young denied that he had spoken to Mr. Musk about Mrs. Gabbard, but later announced her support for her.

Ms. Gabbard has said her first trait will be to depolit the organization, a frequent refrain among Trump’s nominees. She has quoted the defective intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq as an example. She has said that information from intelligence agencies was used to false to manufacture Mr. Trump as a puppet by Mr. Putin.

She has also criticized past intelligence officials for a letter suggesting that material from the Hunter Bite’s laptop could be Russian disinformation.

Some former officials expect her to stop working in the foreign malignant influence center, keeping an eye on threats to the election from opponents.

She is also expected to press intelligence agencies to scour their files for all information about the murder of President John F. Kennedy, who has not yet been released.