Key Republican Senator Backs Tulsi Gabbard's Confirmation

Tulsi Gabbard's bid for confirmation received a major boost on Monday when Senator Susan Collins, a pivotal Republican from Maine, announced her support for Gabbard's nomination as Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

Collins' endorsement adds momentum ahead of the Senate Intelligence Committee's meeting on Tuesday, where they will deliberate on advancing Gabbard's nomination to the full Senate. With all 50 other Republican senators expected to back the nomination, Collins' support removes a significant hurdle for President Donald Trump's choice to oversee the nation's intelligence operations.

“After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence,” Collins stated. “As one of the principal authors of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 that established this coordinating position, I understand the critical role the DNI plays in the Intelligence Community.”

Collins further noted, “The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, however, has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size.”

She concluded, “In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden. I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security.”

The Senate Intelligence Committee, composed of nine Republicans and eight Democrats, will vote on Tuesday to determine if Gabbard’s nomination proceeds to the full Senate.

Gabbard, who ran for president in 2020 and previously served as a Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, has been a polarizing figure in U.S. politics. Her history of challenging Democratic leadership on foreign policy and intelligence matters made her nomination by Trump in November somewhat surprising.

With Collins' backing, Gabbard's confirmation seems increasingly likely, pending the final procedural steps. Among Trump's cabinet picks, she has been considered one of the most vulnerable.

During her confirmation hearing on January 30, Gabbard faced tough questions from both Republican and Democratic senators. The discussions covered her views on whistleblower Edward Snowden and her past interactions with foreign leaders.

“The American people elected Donald Trump not once but twice, and yet the American intelligence agencies were politicized by his opponents to undermine his presidency and falsely portray him as a puppet of Vladimir Putin,” Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week.

She criticized intelligence agencies for overreach, referencing the FBI's misuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to surveil Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide, and linked these actions to a dossier funded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

Special Counsel John Durham later reported finding no evidence that Russian operatives infiltrated Trump's campaign.

Gabbard also accused former Secretary of State Antony Blinken of orchestrating a 2020 letter signed by 51 intelligence officials that dismissed Hunter Biden’s laptop as “Russian disinformation,” alleging it was done “specifically to help Biden win the election.”

She cited past abuses within the intelligence community, referencing James Clapper's “fabricated” 2013 testimony denying warrantless surveillance of Americans and accusing former CIA Director John Brennan of misleading Congress about spying activities.

“Sadly, there are more examples,” Gabbard said. “The bottom line is this: This must end.”

In a recent interview with Fox News' Jesse Watters, Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri expressed concern over Gabbard's confirmation prospects, citing hesitation from some Republican colleagues.

“What are your colleagues on the Republican side thinking here?” Watters asked, to which Hawley replied, “I hope GOP senators listen to Gabbard’s responses.”

“Here’s her real ‘sin,’ Jesse, in the eyes of so many in the Washington establishment of both parties,” Hawley continued. “Her ‘sin’ is that she challenges the surveillance state. She revealed the truth about the government’s spying on Americans and the abuses of FISA. She went out there and was honest about it and for that, she is getting roasted and persecuted.”

When asked if Republicans understood the implications of rejecting Gabbard, Hawley responded, “I don’t know. And I have to tell you, I’m worried by what I hear from some of my Republican colleagues. I’m worried that her nomination may be in jeopardy. And I’m just worried about what that will mean. It will mean that the reforms that we desperately need in the intelligence space—let’s not pretend everything is fine and dandy and hunky-dory in the intelligence community. It’s not.”