The Senate on Wednesday confirmed that President Donald Trump has confirmed Tarsi Gabbard as President Donald Trump’s National Intelligence Director, after initially questioning her experience and judgment.
Gabbard has given his past comments sympathetic to Russia, a meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, where she currently resides, and her previous support for the government’s Leaker Edward Snowden, and the country’s 18th It was an unconventional choice to oversee and coordinate different intelligence agencies.
Gabbard, a former Democrat and military veteran from Hawaii, was confirmed by 52-48 votes, and Democrats opposed in the sharply divided Senate, with Republicans in a slim majority. The only “no” vote from Republicans came from Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
She takes over the Top Intelligence Post as Trump works to rebuild a huge portion of the federal government. Intelligence reporting agencies, including the CIA, have issued voluntary resignation offers to staff, but cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about Elon Musk and his government’s efficiency and have provided information on the Intelligence Reporting business. It has gained access to sensitive government databases including.
To address the intelligence report failures exposed by September 11, 2001, the Director of the National Intelligence Office said Republicans were becoming too big and politicized. Trump himself has long looked at the intelligence reporting agencies of the country in question.
The GOP senator, who voiced concerns about Gabbard’s stance on Snowden, Syria and Russia, said he was won by his promise to refocus on the office’s core mission.
“I am concerned about the particular position she took before, but I am grateful for her commitment to keeping the big scope of the agency under control,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski of R-Alaska. . work.
Democrats said Gabbard had no experience working for the Intelligence Reporting Agency, saying her past stances on Russia, Syria and Snowden made her a poor choice for her job. They can also question whether she will stand up to Trump when needed, and maintain a critical intelligence shared with her American allies.
“It’s a shame to those who gave their lives and harmed her to confirm her in this position,” said former CIA analyst Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. American information services.
Until GOP’s support was in place, it was unclear whether Gabbard’s nomination would be successful. Given the 53-47 split in the Senate, Gabbard had to vote for almost every Republican.
Trump’s “Make America Great Again” base has pressured senators to support Trump’s candidates, and presidential ally Elon Musk recently went to social media to find Todd Young’s R-Ind. Young had expressed concern about Gabbard, but after speaking with Musk, he announced his support. The post was deleted after they spoke, and Musk later called Young A Allie.
Gabbard is Deputy Colonel Li, the National Guard, who deployed twice in the Middle East and ran for president in 2020. She has no formal intelligence reporting experience and has never run a government agency or department.
Gabbard’s past praises from Snowden drew particularly harsh questions at her confirmation hearing. Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, fled to Russia after being accused of revealing confidential information about the US surveillance program.
Gabbard revealed important facts about such programs that Snowden considers unconstitutional, but said he violated rules regarding protecting classified secrets. “Edward Snowden broke the law,” she said.
Gabbard’s 2017 visit to Assad was another flash point. He recently abdicated after a brutal civil war accused of using chemical weapons.
After her visit, Gabbard faced criticism that she was legalizing the dictator, and then there were more questions when she said she was skeptical that Assad had used such a weapon. .
Gabbard defended the meeting with Assad, saying she used the opportunity to impose Syrian leaders on his human rights record.
“I have asked a lot of questions about his own administration’s actions,” Gabbard said.
She also repeatedly reflects Russian propaganda used to justify the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. In the past, she opposed a critical US surveillance program known as Section 702.
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