Robert F. Kennedy, Matt Gaetz, and Pete Hegseth
Recently, Donald Trump made headlines with a series of announcements regarding his proposed cabinet for a potential second term, prompting astonished reactions throughout various levels of the federal government. Within the intelligence community, the spotlight has fallen on Tulsi Gabbard, who Trump has chosen as his nominee for Director of National Intelligence.
Gabbard, a former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii, lacks any formal experience in intelligence and has previously made controversial remarks about nations like Russia and Syria, raising concerns about her suitability for the role. If her nomination is confirmed, she would oversee the country’s 16 intelligence agencies and some of its most sensitive national security operations.
“We are all in shock,” remarked a current intelligence official who has served through various administrations.
Analysts within the intelligence sector are particularly worried that Gabbard might attempt to suppress intelligence findings that are unfavorable to Russia or halt funding for critical investigations. Some officials are even contemplating resignation should Gabbard assume leadership over them.
The role of Director of National Intelligence was established following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to ensure that America’s national security framework operates cohesively and shares vital information regarding significant threats. Typically, the Senate Intelligence Committee must confirm the nominee, which involves a review of financial disclosures and a background check by the FBI. These assessments are intended to ensure that the nominee has no substantial debts or ties to foreign governments that could compromise their ability to manage thousands of intelligence personnel across various agencies, including the FBI, CIA, and NSA.
In stark contrast to the current Director, Avril Haynes, who has extensive experience in intelligence roles—including serving as deputy director of the CIA during the Obama administration—Gabbard’s background is notably different. Haynes has dedicated decades to working within intelligence frameworks.
Gabbard’s time in Congress did not involve service on the House Intelligence Committee; rather, she was assigned to committees focused on armed services, foreign affairs, and homeland security.
Gabbard first gained national attention in 2012 when she became the first Hindu, the first American Samoan, and one of the first female combat veterans elected to Congress. Prior to her congressional career, she served in Iraq in 2004 as part of a medical unit with the Hawaii Army National Guard and currently holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Over the past decade, Gabbard has notably diverged from mainstream foreign policy views. She has frequently expressed skepticism towards American intelligence assessments and has taken positions that align closely with Russian narratives.
In 2017, while still in Congress, Gabbard met with Syrian leader Bashar Assad after the U.S. severed diplomatic ties due to Assad’s brutal crackdown on his citizens. Russia has historically supported Assad, providing military resources to bolster his regime throughout Syria’s protracted civil conflict. Gabbard argued against U.S. support for opposition forces backed by American intelligence agencies.
Later that same year, following a chemical weapons attack in northern Syria, Gabbard supported Russian claims that Assad was not responsible, despite a United Nations investigation that confirmed the Syrian military’s involvement.
Just weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Gabbard shared a video promoting a debunked conspiracy theory suggesting that pathogens could escape from biolabs in Ukraine, a narrative pushed by Russia as part of its propaganda campaign. Former Representative Adam Kinzinger criticized Gabbard for promoting “actual Russian propaganda,” while Senator Mitt Romney labeled her claims “fake Russian propaganda.”
This wasn’t the first instance in which Gabbard faced accusations of advancing Russian interests. During her 2019 presidential campaign, she received favorable coverage from Russian media outlets, leading Hillary Clinton to suggest that a Democrat was being “groomed” by Russia to run as a third-party candidate to aid Trump’s re-election efforts. Many speculated that Clinton was referring to Gabbard, who subsequently accused Clinton of attempting to “destroy” her reputation.
In a notable shift, Gabbard announced her departure from the Democratic Party two years ago, denouncing it as being “under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness.” Last month, she revealed her alignment with the Republican Party during a rally for Donald Trump in North Carolina.
Interestingly, Gabbard has not always aligned with Trump’s views. She openly criticized his decision in 2015 to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, which had the backing of not just the Obama administration but also Iran, Russia, China, France, Germany, and the U.K. Additionally, she condemned Trump’s 2020 order to eliminate Iranian General Qassim Soleimani, asserting that it violated constitutional protocols by targeting a foreign military leader without congressional approval.
