The News
The US Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard Wednesday as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence in a 52-48 vote, capping one of the most contentious nomination processes of any of the new administration’s cabinet officials.
Gabbard will oversee the country’s 18-agency intelligence community and is responsible for the President’s Daily Briefing, a top-secret summary of national security issues.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, who also voted against Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as defense secretary, was the sole Republican to vote against Gabbard.
The former Democrat had been grilled by Republican lawmakers during confirmation hearings over her controversial statements about the war in Ukraine, Edward Snowden, and Syria.
But Gabbard managed to convince several GOP skeptics, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski saying she would vote to confirm Gabbard despite “concerns about certain positions she has previously taken.”