Former Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, will appear this morning before the Senate Intelligence Committee for her confirmation hearing.
Gabbard’s hearing is set to begin at 10 AM ET. She is expected to face opposition from both Democrats and some Republicans.
As previously reported, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) may attempt to block Gabbard’s confirmation over concerns regarding her position on Section 702 of the FISA Act, which permits government surveillance of foreign targets without a warrant.
Charlie Kirk recently suggested that the Senate Intelligence Committee might conceal the vote tallies on Gabbard’s confirmation, making it unclear how individual members voted.
Facing resistance from both Democrats and establishment Republicans could indicate that Gabbard is the right choice for the role. However, her ties to the McCain family raise questions about whether she will fully investigate past Deep State efforts within the intelligence community to undermine President Trump.
Gabbard, a close friend of Meghan McCain and the godmother of McCain’s daughter, may be hesitant to expose the actions of former DNI Dan Coats and the late Senator John McCain, who traveled to a 2017 forum in Italy where they criticized Trump—an event some believe signaled a conspiracy involving foreign intelligence.
Still, Gabbard has drawn opposition from some of the most vocal figures in Washington, including former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton, who immediately denounced her nomination.
Bolton reacted strongly, calling former Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz the “worst” nominee in American history and labeling Gabbard the “second worst.”
Neoconservative former presidential candidate Nikki Haley also attacked Gabbard—along with RFK Jr.—accusing her of being a “Russian, Iranian, Syrian, or Chinese sympathizer” without evidence.
Trump’s FBI Director nominee Kash Patel and Health and Human Services Secretary nominee RFK Jr. are also testifying today before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, respectively.
Watch Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation hearing live below:
