Tulsi Gabbard sails through Senate confirmation after Republicans fall in line



The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence on Wednesday. Gabbard is the 14th member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to be confirmed.

Although many considered Gabbard's DNI bid a long shot, the Senate confirmed her in a 52-48 vote. Notably, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against Gabbard's confirmation.

Although Gabbard shared heated exchanges with senators during her confirmation hearing in late January, one by one, the GOP got behind Trump's DNI pick.

"Miss Gabbard is a patriot," Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said. "She's someone who's been motivated by service. ... The intelligence community needs to refocus on its core mission, collecting intelligence and providing unbiased analysis of that information. That's what Tulsi Gabbard is committed to ensuring."

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Although Gabbard shared heated exchanges with senators during her confirmation hearing in late January, one by one, the GOP got behind Trump's DNI pick.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced Monday night that she would vote to confirm Gabbard after she voted to invoke cloture on her nomination.

"I will vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence," Murkowski said. "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.

Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Gabbard also secured support from Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who has previously been a holdout on other nominees like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

"After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the director of national intelligence," Collins said in a statement. "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."

Ahead of the Senate Intelligence Committee's vote to advance Gabbard's nomination to the Senate floor, Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana also publicly committed to supporting Gabbard. Other Republicans like Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas gave less enthusiastic endorsements for Gabbard but nonetheless backed the nominee.

"President Trump chose Tulsi Gabbard to be his point person on foreign intelligence," Cassidy said in a statement Monday. "I will trust President Trump on this decision and vote for her confirmation."

"Having won the election decisively, I believe President Trump has earned the right to appoint his own cabinet, absent extraordinary circumstances," Cornyn said in a statement after Gabbard's hearing. "Therefore, it is my intention to consent to the appointment of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence."

While many were skeptical about her confirmation, Gabbard became another success story for the Trump camp.

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Tulsi Gabbard inches closer to confirmation



National intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard cleared yet another confirmation hurdle in the Senate Monday night.

After Gabbard's nomination was approved in a party-line vote by the Intelligence Committee last Tuesday, the Senate voted 52 to 46 to invoke cloture on Gabbard's nomination. The Senate will likely take up Gabbard's final confirmation vote within the next few days.

Although Gabbard was thought to be one of President Donald Trump's most contentious nominees, she has made significant progress in securing support on the Senate side.

Following her heated confirmation hearing on the Hill, several senators expressed concerns about Gabbard's nomination.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who notably voted against Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was one committee member many kept their eye on ahead of the vote. Although Collins has a history of bucking her own party, she ended up endorsing Gabbard the night before the committee vote.

Similarly, Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana was considered a holdout on Gabbard until the 11th hour. During her hearing, Young grilled Gabbard about her stance on NSA leaker Edward Snowden, prompting a tense exchange. Despite this, Young eventually came out in support of Gabbard after she clarified her stance on certain "commitments."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young said.

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Senate Intel Committee Sends Tulsi Gabbard to Senate Floor, Increasing Confirmation Odds

Lawmakers voted Tuesday to advance Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as national security director to the Senate floor, a boost for the embattled pick that greatly increases her chances of confirmation.

The post Senate Intel Committee Sends Tulsi Gabbard to Senate Floor, Increasing Confirmation Odds appeared first on .

Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation advances to the Senate floor



The Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence on Tuesday.

All nine Republicans on the committee voted to advance Gabbard's nomination, while all eight Democrats voted against her. Although she eventually secured unanimous support from the GOP, some senators were holdouts following her heated confirmation hearings last week.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana publicly committed to supporting Gabbard only in the 11th hour ahead of the committee vote.

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today.

"I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard's engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership," Young said in a Tuesday post on X. "I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young added.

Although Collins has acted as a roadblock to other nominees, most notably voting against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, she did endorse Gabbard on Monday ahead of the vote.

“After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the director of national intelligence,” said Collins in a statement. "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. 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."

"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," Collins added. "I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security."

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, narrowly advanced through the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday morning in a 14-13 party-line vote.

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Republicans rally behind Tulsi Gabbard ahead of committee vote



Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana committed on Tuesday to voting in favor of Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence. Young was the last Republican holdout left on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is set to vote on Gabbard's nomination Tuesday afternoon.

Young's endorsement of Gabbard came the morning after Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine also came out in support of the nominee. Both Young and Collins expressed hesitancy about Gabbard following her fiery hearing last Thursday but have since changed their tone in favor of the nominee.

'Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.'

"I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard's engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership," Young said in a Tuesday post on X. "I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young added.

Young came under fire for his hesitation on Gabbard last week, prompting an online pressure campaign from Gabbard's supporters. Most notably, tech mogul Elon Musk called Young a "deep state puppet," likely referring to his lack of support for Gabbard.

Musk promptly deleted the post and later said that he had a productive conversation with Young, leading some to speculate that he may have influenced Young's vote on Gabbard.

"Just had an excellent conversation with Sen. Todd Young," Musk said. "I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy."

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Tulsi Gabbard Walks Back Foreign Surveillance Criticism But Defends Snowden in Testy Confirmation Hearing

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s intelligence director nominee, walked back some of her past defenses of foreign adversaries and criticism of U.S. government surveillance but repeatedly refused to call CIA leaker Edward Snowden a "traitor" in a combative confirmation hearing on Thursday.

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