Sen. John Kennedy said Monday that Tulsi Gabbard, the nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), faces the greatest risk of failing to secure Senate confirmation.
Gabbard has been a vocal critic of U.S. financial aid to Ukraine, accusing the “power elite” of endangering American security for the benefit of Ukrainians. Her nomination has drawn scrutiny from Democrats, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who have accused her of challenging the establishment’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Some, including Clinton, have even falsely labeled her a Russian asset and a potential national security threat.
“I expect most if not all of [the nominees] to be confirmed,” the Louisiana Republican told Fox News on Thursday. “Why? Number one, the president’s dug in like a tick. He wants these people. But number two, you’ve got to remember these confirmation hearings matter.
“If a nominee acts like a complete meathead or starts screaming like he or she is part of a prison riot, people are gonna say ‘woah, we need to take a second look.’ But short of that, I think most, if not all, will be confirmed. The one most on the bubble, as you know as well as I do, is Tulsi Gabbard.”
Several Republican senators, whose campaigns have received support from the defense industry, may oppose Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination due to her criticism of the U.S. spending over $200 billion on the Ukraine war and concerns about the national security apparatus’ surveillance powers.
However, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a well-known defense advocate, told NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Sunday that he is “inclined” to vote in favor of Gabbard’s nomination and the other nominees.
Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth told CNN’s Dana Bash that she believes Gabbard is “compromised” and would not be able to “pass a background check.”
Gabbard has also faced criticism over her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which she defended as an effort to “achieve peace” and show genuine concern for the Syrian people.
“I want to address the issue that’s in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria,” Gabbard said during her confirmation hearings on Thursday.
“My own views and experiences have been shaped by my multiple deployments and seeing first-hand the costs of war and the threat of Islamist terrorism. It’s one of the many reasons why I appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his election where he is fully committed, as he has said over and over again, to bringing about an end to wars,” she added.
In an interview Thursday evening with Fox News host Jesse Watters, Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said he was particularly worried that Gabbard wouldn’t be confirmed because of “what I hear from some of my Republican colleagues.”
“What are your colleagues on the Republican side thinking here?” Watters asked, leading Hawley to say that he hoped GOP senators actually listened to Gabbard’s responses.
“Here’s her real ‘sin,’ Jesse, in the eyes of so many of the Washington establishment of both parties,” the senator said. “Her ‘sin’ is that she challenges the surveillance state. She told the truth about the government spying on Americans and about the abuses of FISA. She went out there and was honest about it and for that, she is getting absolutely roasted and persecuted.”
“Do your Republican colleagues understand what will happen if they vote down Tulsi?” Watters asked, suggesting that Republicans who oppose her will draw the ire of President Donald Trump.
“I don’t know,” Hawley said. “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.”
