Trump intel pick Tulsi Gabbard faces criticism over Russia, Snowden in confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON – Former US representative Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s choice to be director of national intelligence, faced harsh criticism of her past defence of former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden and comments seen as supportive of Russia at a confirmation hearing on Jan 30.

Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed doubts about the choice of Ms Gabbard, a 43-year-old former Democrat and combat veteran without deep intelligence experience, to serve as the nation’s top spy overseeing all 18 US intelligence agencies.

Senators questioned Ms Gabbard about views seen as echoing Russia’s justification of its war against Ukraine, criticism of US involvement in Syria and a 2017 meeting with Moscow-backed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

“You blamed Nato for Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. You rejected the conclusion that Assad used chemical weapons in Syria,” said Senator Mark Warner, the committee’s Democratic vice-chairman.

During the hearing, Ms Gabbard said Russian President Vladimir Putin started the war in Ukraine, although she did not respond to a question about whether she viewed Russia as a threat to the US.

Republican Senator Jerry Moran told Ms Gabbard he wanted to ensure that “in no way does Russia get a pass in either your mind or your heart or in any policy recommendation you would make or not make”.

Ms Gabbard responded that she was “offended by that question”, and said: “If confirmed, no country, group or individual will get a pass.”

While in the House of Representatives, Ms Gabbard introduced legislation that would have dropped charges against Snowden – a former government contractor who leaked thousands of NSA documents and then fled to Russia.

Ms Gabbard repeatedly declined to answer when asked by senators if she considered Snowden a traitor.

“I am focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again,” she said, in response to Republican Senator James Lankford.

Her refusal to respond to the same question from Democrat Senator Michael Bennet ignited a harsh response from the lawmaker, who said: “That is not a hard question to answer when the stakes are this high.”

Many Republicans, including Intelligence Committee chairman Tom Cotton, have harshly criticised Snowden as a liar and traitor and said he should “rot in jail”.

At the hearing, Ms Gabbard repeatedly said Snowden broke the law but declined to give a yes or no answer when Mr Warner asked her if she still considered him a hero.

Ms Gabbard said: “The fact is, he also, even as he broke the law, released information that exposed egregious, illegal and unconstitutional programmes that are happening within our government that led to serious reforms.”

Snowden, who has remained in Russia, commented sarcastically on the hearing. “Tell them I harmed national security and the sweet, soft feelings of staff. In DC, that’s what passes for the pledge of allegiance,” he posted on X.

Mr Trump’s announcement in November 2024 of Ms Gabbard as his pick for national intelligence director sent shock waves through the national security establishment, adding to concerns that the sprawling intelligence community will become politicised under a second Trump administration.

‘Unconventional’ views

Mr Cotton said he supported Ms Gabbard’s nomination before the hearing on Jan 30.

“I support Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination,” he told Fox News.

“I’ve been working with her to move towards confirmation, and I look forward to working with her for four years.”

Mr Cotton’s support does not mean Ms Gabbard will win the committee’s support. It has nine Republicans and eight Democrats, meaning one Republican “no” on the panel could force Mr Cotton to take the unusual step of sending the nomination to the full Senate without committee backing.

Ms Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent. She backed Mr Trump and joined the Republican Party in 2024.

In remarks opening the hearing, Mr Cotton acknowledged some of Ms Gabbard’s views were “unconventional” but said: “Maybe Washington could use a little more unconventional thinking.”

Ms Gabbard has also taken positions that worry senators from both parties concerned government programmes to thwart foreign attackers, including those exposed by Snowden, violate Americans’ right to privacy.

Ms Gabbard once sought to repeal Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a government authority that raises privacy concerns, but reversed her stance after she was nominated for the intelligence post.

Some Trump nominees have sailed through the confirmation process. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then a Republican senator, was confirmed unanimously on Jan 20, the day Mr Trump was inaugurated.

But others have struggled.

Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defence. But he was only the second Cabinet pick ever to require a tie-breaking vote from the vice-president after three Republicans – Senators Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell and Lisa Murkowski – joined Democrats opposing him.

Ms Collins, who has not said how she would vote on Ms Gabbard, is a senior member of the intelligence committee. Among other things, she questioned Ms Gabbard during the hearing about her views on Snowden.

In the full Senate, if Democrats unite against Ms Gabbard as is expected, she can only afford to lose the backing of three of Trump’s Republicans to become director of national intelligence.

Ms Gabbard faced a second, classified session with the committee later on Jan 30. Mr Cotton said he wanted the panel to vote as quickly as possible. REUTERS