Senate intelligence panel to vote on Tulsi Gabbard nomination in closed session
Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Senate Intelligence Committee will meet Tuesday to vote on Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to lead the Department of National Intelligence.
The committee is scheduled to meet in a closed session on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., beginning at 2:15 p.m. EST.
Gabbard testified before the committee in an open session on Thursday, fielding a number of questions about her support of whistleblower Edward Snowden and her tendency to repeat Russian propaganda. The committee also met in a closed session later in the day.
Some of President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees have faced intense pushback from Democrats, including Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Republicans voiced some skepticism about Gabbard as well, questioning her loyalty to the United States.
Prompted at multiple points during that hearing, Gabbard refused to state that Snowden is a traitor. Instead she repeated that he broke the law when he leaked classified documents about U.S. surveillance programs in 2013.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., implored Gabbard, telling her that it is important for the committee to hear her say Snowden is a traitor.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins was among the Republicans to press Gabbard on her support for Snowden. Gabbard had previously said she believed Snowden should be pardoned, referring to him as "brave" but on Thursday that she would not advise granting Snowden a pardon.
On Monday, Collins said she will vote to confirm Gabbard.
"After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence," Collins said in a statement. "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."
Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., said in a statement to Politico that he received commitments about Gabbard's position on whistleblowers, securing his vote in her favor.
"American intelligence officers around the globe deserve our respect and support," Young said. "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."
Gabbard served as a Democratic congresswoman representing Hawaii from 2013 to 2021. She unsuccessfully ran in the Democratic presidential primary in 2020, then left the party and endorsed Trump during his 2024 campaign.
There are nine Republicans and eight Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee. It is chaired by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.
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