Former British spy chief Sir John Sawers has called Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as President Donald Trump‘s pick for director of national intelligence (DNI) “difficult” due to her “pro-Russian” stances while also saying he sees no “overall global plan” for Trump’s foreign policy.
Newsweek reached out to the White House, the State Department and Tulsi Gabbard for comment by email on Saturday afternoon.
Why It Matters
Sawers has extensive foreign policy experience, having served as the British ambassador the United Nations, political director of the Foreign Office and a foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Sawers’ career culminated in his appointment to the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) from November 2009 to November 2014, having previously served as an intelligence officer for the agency.
Gabbard’s nomination proved controversial from the moment Trump announced her as his pick for the sensitive intelligence position. The former Democratic representative of Hawaii and former Democratic 2020 presidential candidate has been accused of being a “traitor” for voicing pro-Russian talking points and making a surprise and unauthorized visit to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017.
Gabbard defended Assad, saying he “is not the enemy of the United States.” She also accused then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October of being the “main instigator” in starting the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war in which Russian President Vladimir Putin launched in February 2022.
What To Know
Sawers sat down with CNN‘s chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour for an interview that aired Saturday morning. During the discussion, the former spy chief raised concerns about advancing Gabbard for the most powerful intelligence position in the U.S.
“I think senators have got a lot of responsibility to ensure that only people who are suited to top jobs get through to them, especially those in the most sensitive areas,” Sawers said. “The United States is the most powerful intelligence community in the world, and one of its biggest challenges is Russia, and another [of its] biggest challenges is China.”
He added: “To have someone who’s a director of national intelligence who basically takes a very pro-Russian approach, well, that strikes me as very difficult, and it makes it difficult for America’s partners as well. How do you deal with an intelligence community where the most senior figure in it, the Cabinet member in it, is basically sympathetic to our biggest enemy?”
Gabbard’s nomination is in jeopardy due to opposition from Republican Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska as they have all said they will not support her confirmation. However, that would leave Gabbard in a similar position to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth who passed confirmation thanks to a tie-break vote from Vice President JD Vance.
Sawers turned his critical eye to the entire foreign policy of the Trump administration, which he called an “approach” rather than any significant plan.
“I don’t think it’s a Trump doctrine yet,” Sawers said. “I think what we have is an approach to the rest of the world.”
He continued: “Obviously America First is the starting point of that. I think he also has a sort of belief in spheres of influence. He likes and admires, to some extent, other powerful leaders, and I think some of this stuff, which we were taken surprise by about, perhaps on Greenland and Panama and so on, is about consolidating America’s sphere of influence over the Western hemisphere, and we’ll see what the approach is going to be on Europe, on Ukraine, on the Middle East, and on China.”
“It’s step-by-step. At this stage, I don’t think there’s an overall global plan,” Sawers said.
What People Are Saying
Brian Krassenstein, a Trump-critical entrepreneur, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Right now it appears that Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McConnell are likely ‘no’ votes on Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for Director of National Intelligence. This would mean that she would not be confirmed. I support these senators. She is vastly unqualified for the position.”
He added that another Republican would have to turn against the party in order to avoid Gabbard passing confirmation with a tie-break.
Meghan McCain, political commentator and daughter of the late Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, wrote on X: “The criticism of [Tulsi Gabbard] from [Senator Mark Kelly] and [Senator Mitch McConnell] has always been baseless, disrespectful – and now it is increasingly sexist toward an accomplished active duty woman who is a true maverick and a bold hearted American patriot. I look forward to seeing you both next week Senators – and standing with Tulsi at her confirmation hearing. My father never questioned the service of others, and those who claim his legacy should know better than to question hers.”
What Happens Next
The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold a hearing on Gabbard’s nomination on January 30, with at least two Republican members of the committee, Murkowski and Collins, raising concerns about her appointment.
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