Director of National Intelligence (DNI) designee Tulsi Gabbard began her charm offensive with key senators on Monday — and got a boost from hundreds of veterans while seeking to allay concerns about her views on Syria in the wake of the Assad regime’s collapse.
More than 250 veterans — including current members of Congress and former federal officials — signed an open letter endorsing her for the DNI position to coordinate between the government’s 17 intelligence agencies.
“While most Americans know Tulsi as a fearless and principled Congresswoman who stood up to entrenched political systems, we know her as a fellow veteran — one whose worldview was forged through the crucible of serving in combat zones and a lifelong devotion to service,” the veterans wrote in the letter published Monday.
Prominent veterans such as Reps. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.); Brian Mast (R-Fla.), who is set to helm the House Foreign Affairs Committee; former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller and others had signed the letter, which was first reported by Fox News.
“Tulsi’s life exemplifies a rare blend of selflessness, courage, and leadership — qualities desperately needed to reform and strengthen our intelligence community,” the letter added.
Despite an onslaught from Democrats and media pundits, Gabbard, 43, was “hitting the ground running better than [Pete] Hegseth” in responding to detractors, one Senate GOP aide observed to The Post, while adding that both are expected to have the necessary votes for confirmation.
Only four Republicans in the upper chamber would have to join with every Democrat and independent to tank a nominee.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a veteran who had expressed skepticism about Hegseth being tapped as Pentagon boss, praised Gabbard as a “strong and proven leader” following their meeting earlier Monday.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who is generally one of the more hawkish voices within the Senate GOP, declared Monday that “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees.”
There’s also been some speculation that Gabbard could get some support from across the aisle, including from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Politico reported.
Last month, when President-elect Donald Trump unveiled Gabbard as his pick for the DNI post, he quickly ignited controversy over her track record on Syria.
While serving in the House, Gabbard had met with former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in early 2017 during a trip to the war-torn country. Assad was toppled Saturday evening, elevating the issue as Gabbard jockeys to lock down support in the upper chamber.
At the time of her meeting with Assad, Gabbard stressed the need for dialogue between the two countries, and subsequently castigated US strikes on Syria under the Trump administration in response to alleged chemical weapon deployments there.
Gabbard also openly questioned the legitimacy of allegations from the intelligence community that the former Assad regime was responsible for the chemical attack. All this has let to criticisms from figures like former National Security Adviser John Bolton who have characterized her as an Assad apologist.
However, she has also denounced Assad as a “brutal dictator.”
In comments that were recently resurfaced about the fracas, Sanders posted on X in October 2019: “Tulsi Gabbard has put her life on the line to defend this country. People can disagree on issues, but it is outrageous for anyone to suggest that Tulsi is a foreign asset.”
Gabbard smiled and ignored questions from reporters while on Capitol Hill Monday regarding her track record on Syria.
She is widely expected to be framing her encounter with Assad in the context of her opposition to so-called “endless wars,” something that was at the forefront of her failed 2020 bid in the Democratic primary for president.
In October, she revealed that she had shifted her party affiliation to Republican at a Trump rally in Greensboro, N.C., after having endorsed the 45th president two months before.
Several Republicans previously indicated that they have a great number of questions for Gabbard.
“We’ll have lots of questions. She met with Bashar Assad. We’ll want to know what the purpose was,” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) told CNN last month after Gabbard was announced as Trump’s pick.
But so far no one in the Senate GOP Conference has publicly opposed her.
Potential swing votes such as outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), as well as Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), have been largely tight-lipped on her selection.
Overall, many of her skeptics such as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio), who will not have to vote to confirm her, have refrained being too critical towards her.
“I obviously differ a great deal in a number of areas with both her judgment and her background and experience, but what I do trust is the Senate process,” Turner told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
