By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump’s cabinet saw a big addition today after the Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.
The Senate voted 52-48 today to confirm the former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii after a somewhat tumultuous confirmation process.
Former Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell (R- KY) was the lone Republican to oppose Gabbard in today’s final vote.
Gabbard recently faced some pushback from a handful of GOP senators over her stances on Russian aggression, U.S. government surveillance and NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
During a recent confirmation hearing, Gabbard was asked multiple times whether she believes Snowden is a traitor. Gabbard would not answer the question directly, instead replying “Senator, my heart is with my commitment to our constitution and our nation’s security.”
Before Wednesday’s final vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D- NY) warned against the nomination and delivered a final plea to his colleagues on the other side of the aisle.
“I plead with my colleagues, I know it’s the last minute, to think twice to vote no as we all will vote because this is such an awful nomination who will endanger our national security and our intelligence operations throughout the country and the world,” said Schumer. “My guess is if a secret ballot were cast on Tulsi Gabbard, maybe she’d get ten votes. You all know how bad she is,” he added.
Senator Gary Peters (D- MI), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, echoed similar concerns. He believes Gabbard lacks the qualifications necessary for the position.
“Unfortunately, I do not believe that Tulsi Gabbard has the qualifications, nor has she earned our trust to serve as Director of National Intelligence,” said Peters on the Senate Floor. “She has spread conspiracy theories, peddled by our adversaries. She claimed that those who were investigating domestic terrorism and the deadly January 6 insurrection were, ‘domestic enemies,'” he added.
However, many Senate Republicans believe Gabbard is the right choice for the role and for President Trump’s goal of shaking up Washington.
“President Trump won a mandate, the popular vote and the Electoral College, and he basically said, ‘I’m going to bring in a team of disrupters to bring about change in Washington.’ He didn’t say he was going to bring in status quo candidates, so a number of his nominees are not traditional nominees. He wants to shake things up and I want to support him,” said Sen. Dave McCormick (R- PA). “As a senator from Pennsylvania, I also have a responsibility to be an independent voice. So, I took it very seriously. I met with every nominee. I asked them the questions I had when they were in committee with me,” McCormick added.
Another big addition to Trump’s cabinet is expected tomorrow. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services advanced in the Senate after clearing a procedural hurdle on Wednesday. The final vote on his nomination is expected Thursday morning.
