Nearly 100 former national security officials have signed a letter criticizing President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to nominate former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. They raised concerns about Gabbard’s past actions, including aligning herself with Russian and Syrian officials and making sympathetic comments about U.S. adversaries. The officials urged the Senate to conduct closed-door hearings to review any government information about her qualifications for the position.
The letter’s signers include prominent figures such as Wendy Sherman and Ian Kelly, who served in the Obama and Trump administrations. They argued that Gabbard would be the least experienced person to hold the director position since it was created in 2004 and expressed concerns about her ability to oversee the National Intelligence Program.
Gabbard has faced criticism in the past for her controversial actions, including a trip to Syria to meet with President Bashar al-Assad and casting doubt on U.S. intelligence agencies’ conclusions. A spokesperson for Gabbard on the Trump transition team dismissed the letter as unfounded attacks from officials with “blood on their hands” from past intelligence failures.
Trump’s other expected nominees, such as Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are also facing controversies that could complicate their Senate confirmation processes. Trump’s previous consideration of Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general was derailed by allegations of sexual misconduct. The scrutiny over these nominees highlights the challenges they may face in securing confirmation from the Senate.
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