Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Friday, February 21, 2025 67° Today's Paper


Breaking News

Gabbard faces criticism over Russia, Snowden in confirmation hearing

NATHAN HOWARD / REUTERS
                                Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington today.
1/3
Swipe or click to see more

NATHAN HOWARD / REUTERS

Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington today.

Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be director of national intelligence, prepares to leave following a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 30, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
2/3
Swipe or click to see more

Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be director of national intelligence, prepares to leave following a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 30, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

NATHAN HOWARD / REUTERS
                                Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, prepares to leave following a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington today.
3/3
Swipe or click to see more

NATHAN HOWARD / REUTERS

Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, prepares to leave following a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington today.

NATHAN HOWARD / REUTERS
                                Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington today.
Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be director of national intelligence, prepares to leave following a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 30, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
NATHAN HOWARD / REUTERS
                                Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, prepares to leave following a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington today.

Related Photo Gallery

Gabbard grilled over Russia, Snowden ties in confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON >> Former U.S. Rep.Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s choice to be director of national intelligence, faced harsh criticism of her past defense of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and comments seen as supportive of Russia at a confirmation hearing today.

Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed doubts about the choice of Gabbard, a 43-year-old former Democrat and combat veteran without deep intelligence experience, to serve as the nation’s top spy overseeing all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies.

Senators questioned Gabbard about views seen as echoing Russia’s justification of its war against Ukraine, criticism of U.S. involvement in Syria and 2017 meeting with Moscow-backed former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“You blamed NATO for Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. You rejected the conclusion that Assad used chemical weapons in Syria,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, the committee’s Democratic vice chairman.

During the hearing, Gabbard said that Russian President Vladimir Putin started the war in Ukraine, although she did not respond to a question about whether she viewed Russia as a threat to the United States.

While in the House of Representatives representing Hawaii, Gabbard introduced legislation that would have dropped charges against Snowden, a former government contractor on Oahu who leaked thousands of National Security Agency documents and then fled to Russia.

Gabbard repeatedly declined to answer when asked by senators if she considered Snowden a traitor. “I am focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again,” she said in response to Republican Sen. James Lankford.

Her refusal to respond to the same question from Democrat Sen. Michael Bennett ignited a harsh response from the lawmaker, who said, “That is not a hard question to answer when the stakes are this high.”

Many Republicans, including Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, have harshly criticized Snowden as a liar and traitor and said he should “rot in jail.”

At the hearing, Gabbard said repeatedly that Snowden broke the law, but declined to give a yes or no answer when Warner asked her if she still considered him a hero.

“The fact is, he also, even as he broke the law, released information that exposed egregious, illegal and unconstitutional programs that are happening within our government that led to serious reforms,” Gabbard said.

Snowden, who has remained in Russia, commented sarcastically on the hearing. “Tell them I harmed national security and the sweet, soft feelings of staff. In D.C., that’s what passes for the pledge of allegiance,” he posted on X.com.

Trump’s announcement of Gabbard in November sent shockwaves through the national security establishment, adding to concerns that the sprawling intelligence community will become politicized under a second Trump administration.

Cotton said he supported Gabbard’s nomination before the hearing today. “I support Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination,” Cotton told Fox News. “I’ve been working with her to move towards confirmation, and I look forward to working with her for four years.”

Cotton’s support does not mean Gabbard will win committee support. It has nine Republicans and eight Democrats, meaning one Republican “no” on the panel could force Cotton to take the unusual step of sending the nomination to the full Senate without committee backing.

Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent. She backed Trump and joined the Republican Party in 2024.

In remarks opening the hearing, Cotton acknowledged some of Gabbard’s views as “unconventional,” but said, “Maybe Washington could use a little more unconventional thinking.”

Cotton said Gabbard’s success would depend on her ability to cut the size of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, contending what was intended to be a “lean agency” has become “another unruly bureaucracy” that should not have more than a few hundred personnel.

Gabbard has also taken positions that worry senators from both parties concerned government programs to thwart foreign attackers, including those exposed by Snowden, violate Americans’ right to privacy.

Gabbard once sought to repeal Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a government authority that raises privacy concerns, but reversed her stance after she was nominated for the intelligence post.

Some Trump nominees have sailed through the confirmation process. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then a Republican senator, was confirmed unanimously on Jan. 20, the day Trump was inaugurated.

But others have struggled.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to lead the top U.S. health agency, came under attack at a hearing from Democrats who accused him of covering up anti-vaccine views and embracing conspiracy theories.

Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was confirmed as secretary of defense. But he was only the second cabinet pick ever to require a tie-breaking vote from the vice president after three Republicans — Senators Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell and Lisa Murkowski — joined Democrats opposing him.

Collins, who has not said how she would vote on Gabbard, is a senior member of the intelligence committee. Among other things, she questioned Gabbard during the hearing about her views on Snowden.

In the full Senate, if Democrats unite against Gabbard as expected, she can afford to lose the backing of only three of Trump’s Republicans to become DNI.

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Terms of Service. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our guidelines. Having trouble with comments? Learn more here.