In a startling turn of events, former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been named as Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence. The 43-year-old, who made history as the first Samoan and Hindu elected to Congress, now finds herself at the center of a political firestorm as she prepares to take the reins of America’s vast intelligence apparatus.
A Controversial Choice
Gabbard’s nomination has sent shockwaves through national security circles, not least because of the lingering cloud of suspicion over her alleged ties to Russia. In 2019, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton suggested that Gabbard was being “groomed” by the Russians, though she offered no proof to back up her claim.
As a vocal critic of what she termed “warmongering” US foreign policy, Gabbard has raised eyebrows with her stances on international affairs. Her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in which she told him “Syria is not the enemy of the United States,” drew particular scrutiny.
“If someone had juice with the president and really wanted to make it a reform instrument, he or she could have a lot of power.”
– Former senior Trump administration official
From Democrat to Trump Ally
Gabbard’s journey from progressive Democrat to Trump confidante has been a winding one. She began as a surrogate for Bernie Sanders in 2016, only to later spar with fellow Democrats like Kamala Harris during the 2020 primaries. Her foreign policy views and populist rhetoric increasingly aligned her with the Trump wing of the GOP.
In 2022, Gabbard made a clean break, resigning from the Democratic Party and becoming a independent. She denounced the party as an “elitist cabal of warmongers” in thrall to “woke” ideology. The move cemented her position as a darling of the right and a regular fixture on conservative media.
Bucking the “Deep State”
Gabbard’s nomination is in keeping with Trump’s stated aim of overhauling the national security establishment he believes is arrayed against him. As Director of National Intelligence, she would oversee a sprawling network of 18 agencies, from the CIA and FBI to lesser-known organizations dealing in the nation’s most sensitive secrets.
Skeptics argue that the role, created post-9/11 to better coordinate intelligence efforts, holds less sway than the CIA director. But sources close to Trump suggest Gabbard’s personal ties to the president could give her outsize influence in pushing his agenda of reform and rooting out perceived “deep state” enemies.
Challenges Ahead
If confirmed, Gabbard faces a steep learning curve. With no prior intelligence experience or even a seat on the House Intelligence Committee on her resume, she will have to work hard to gain the trust and respect of the rank-and-file.
Her past comments on Syria, Russia, and other hot-button issues are sure to draw intense scrutiny during the confirmation process. Democrats and some hawkish Republicans are already sharpening their knives, eager to probe any potential foreign entanglements or conflicts of interest.
For Trump, Gabbard represents a chance to install a loyal foot soldier in one of the most important posts in his administration. Whether she can navigate the treacherous currents of Washington and put her stamp on the notoriously independent intelligence community remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Tulsi Gabbard’s unexpected journey to the top of American spycraft is only just beginning.
