Senate Votes To Confirm Tulsi Gabbard as DNI
The U.S. Senate, under Republican control, has voted to approve Tulsi Gabbard as the new Director of National Intelligence after President Donald Trump nominated her for the position.
Following the full Senate's confirmation, Gabbard is set to be sworn in at the White House later today.
Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell stood as the lone GOP member to oppose Gabbard’s confirmation.
Earlier this week, Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy had already announced their intent to confirm Gabbard, ensuring a smooth approval process on the Senate floor.
Murkowski, Cassidy, and other Republican senators moved the confirmation process forward by supporting cloture, while Democratic senators who participated in the vote opposed it.
“I will vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence,” Murkowski stated in a post on X.
“While I continue to have concerns about certain positions she has previously taken, I appreciate her commitment to rein in the outsized scope of the agency, while still enabling the ODNI to continue its essential function in upholding national security. As she brings independent thinking and necessary oversight to her new role, I am counting on her to ensure the safety and civil liberties of American citizens remain rigorously protected,” Murkowski added.
“President Trump chose Tulsi Gabbard to be his point person on foreign intelligence,” Cassidy remarked in a statement. “I will trust President Trump on this decision and vote for her confirmation.”
Gabbard served in Congress from early 2013 to early 2021. She publicly announced her departure from the Democratic Party in 2022.
She endorsed Trump for the 2024 presidential election and officially joined the Republican Party last year.
Last week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune presented five additional Trump nominees for consideration. However, Senate Republicans must coordinate a schedule with Democrats to ensure all nominees are confirmed within the week.
Among the top priorities for Senate Republicans are Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., both of whom have been regarded as some of Trump’s more controversial Cabinet choices, according to Punchbowl News.
Initially perceived as the most at-risk nominee, Gabbard successfully gained support from Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), allowing her nomination to advance.
Gabbard’s confirmation vote is expected to take place either late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, following a mandatory 30-hour waiting period after cloture. Democrats are not anticipated to yield any of that time.
Following Gabbard’s confirmation, the Senate will proceed with a vote on whether to confirm Kennedy as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy secured the backing of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), one of his most vocal critics, during the committee phase, making his confirmation likely. McConnell, however, is expected to oppose Kennedy’s nomination due to his past experience with polio. Despite this, Cassidy’s support means the GOP is unlikely to see four “no” votes against Kennedy.
On Thursday, Thune introduced three additional nominations.
Brooke Rollins has been nominated as Secretary of Agriculture, Howard Lutnick for Secretary of Commerce, and former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) for Small Business Administrator. It remains unclear whether these nominees will receive confirmation votes this week.