The US Senate confirmed Donald Trump’s choice to be director of national intelligence, the latest Trump nominee to join his cabinet. Tulsi Gabbard had been accused of supporting the now-deposed Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, of spreading Russian propaganda, and in particular, for peddling false conspiracy theories about the Ukraine war.
Gabbard was approved with a 52-48 vote margin. All Democrats voted against her, while all Republican senators voted in favor, except for former Senate leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
“In my assessment, Tulsi Gabbard failed to demonstrate that she is prepared to assume this tremendous national trust,” McConnell said in a statement, adding that she brings “unnecessary risk,” given her past statements and actions.
Democrats warned that Gabbard should not be given access to the country’s most sensitive classified secrets.
“On the night that Russia invaded Ukraine and launched the first full-scale invasion of a sovereign nation in Europe since World War II, what was Ms. Gabbard doing?” Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote.
“She was spending her energy blaming NATO and the US for what Putin did… That alone should be disqualifying for anyone seeking to become the top intelligence advisor to the president,” Schumer added.
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