Trump’s FBI, DNI Nominee Appears Before Senate for Confirmation Hearings:
Tulsi Gabbard Defends National Intelligence Director Nomination, Slams Political Bias
Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence, began her confirmation hearing with a bold declaration, vowing to eradicate political bias within the intelligence community and rejecting attacks on her record as “lies and smears.”
Speaking before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve and former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, criticized the “weaponization” of intelligence and pointed to past intelligence failures, including the Iraq War. “Faulty, inadequate, or weaponized intelligence has led to disastrous outcomes and undermined our national security,” she said, referencing the invasion of Iraq based on misleading intelligence.
Gabbard took aim at former intelligence officials who have clashed with Trump, including former DNI James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan, accusing them of misleading the public and spying on Congress.
Her nomination has faced resistance from both sides of the aisle. Some Republicans have expressed unease, while Democrats have voiced strong opposition, particularly over her past foreign policy positions, such as meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad and critiquing U.S. interventionist policies.
Anticipating criticism, Gabbard forcefully rejected accusations of divided loyalties. “You may hear lies and smears that question my patriotism,” she said, challenging those who have labeled her a puppet of various foreign leaders. “It’s absurd to suggest I’m loyal to five different puppet masters at once.”
Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman from Hawaii and 2020 presidential candidate, has made several notable comments throughout her political career. Here are some of her most famous remarks:
- On U.S. Interventionism:
Gabbard has been a vocal critic of U.S. foreign interventions, especially in the Middle East. One of her most famous statements came in a 2017 interview where she said, “Regime change wars are not in the interest of the American people.” She has argued that interventions in countries like Iraq and Syria have led to prolonged conflict and instability without achieving the desired outcomes. - On the 2016 Election and the DNC:
During her presidential campaign, Gabbard was outspoken about the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) treatment of Bernie Sanders during the 2016 primaries. She famously resigned from her post as vice chair of the DNC, citing bias in favor of Hillary Clinton. In 2019, Gabbard remarked, “The DNC’s actions were not only undemocratic, they were unethical.” - On Political Polarization:
Gabbard has often expressed concern about the growing divide between political parties in the U.S. In a 2020 interview, she said, “We have to break the cycle of division and fear that pits us against each other… We need to focus on unity, not division.” - On the Syria Conflict:
Gabbard’s trip to Syria and her meeting with President Bashar al-Assad became a major point of controversy. She defended the meeting, stating, “I went to Syria because I wanted to see for myself what was happening. I wanted to talk with the people there who were living through this war.” Her critics argued that it showed sympathies toward a brutal dictator. - On her 2020 Presidential Campaign:
In her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, Gabbard repeatedly spoke about the need for a new direction for America, stating, “Our greatest national security threat is the growing divisiveness within our own country.” - On Big Tech and Censorship:
Gabbard has also been an outspoken critic of the influence of big tech companies on free speech. She said in a 2019 interview, “Big tech companies, such as Google and Facebook, should not be acting as the speech police.” She has expressed concerns over censorship and the control these companies exert over public discourse. - On Religion and Faith:
Gabbard, who is a practicing Hindu, has often discussed her faith in public forums. In a 2020 interview, she said, “My faith teaches me to serve others, to be a voice for the voiceless, to fight for justice.” She has also addressed concerns over her religion, calling out bigotry from critics who questioned her Hindu faith, stating, “My faith is part of who I am, and I’ll never apologize for it.”
These comments have contributed to her reputation as a maverick in U.S. politics, attracting both support and criticism.
Leave a Reply