What’s New
Representative Michael McCaul of Texas has cast doubts on Tulsi Gabbard’s chances of securing her Cabinet position, calling her nomination “baffling” as he predicts she will outright fail.
Newsweek reached out for comment by email on Thursday afternoon to Gabbard’s press team and the Trump transition team.
Why It Matters
McCaul’s comments mark the most significant Republican opposition to Gabbard’s nomination, which has gained increased focus after President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, backed out of contention, and Senators called for the FBI report on Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for secretary of defense.
Gabbard struck critics and analysts alike as one of the most concerning picks for Trump’s Cabinet since she would take over as director of national intelligence, putting her in charge of 18 intelligence agencies when the international security landscape has faced significant changes in a short time, including Bashar al-Assad recently leaving Syria after rebels attacked the capital, tensions with Iran, Israel’s invasion of Gaza and Russia’s continuing war on Ukraine.
What To Know
McCaul, the House Foreign Affairs chair, revealed his concerns and doubts about Gabbard’s qualifications during an interview with the Texas Tribune published Wednesday.
“For someone to have this history of comments that appear to be pro-Putin and pro-Assad, who have historically been our enemies, to head up our intelligence to me is a bit baffling,” McCaul said.
McCaul added that, “Yes,” he had concerns about Gabbard’s nomination.
“The Senate, they typically pick and choose, and one of them will have to go down. If I were betting, I would say it’s probably the ODNI,” McCaul said, referring to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Who is Tulsi Gabbard?
Gabbard served in Congress as a Democrat for eight years before leaving office in 2021, joining the Republican Party and backing Trump for a second term in office. Despite her long experience in politics, concerns remain about her fitness to serve as director of national intelligence.
Many have highlighted her pro-Assad comments and her impromptu trip to visit Assad in 2017, later saying he was “not the enemy of the United States.”
Gabbard also has made repeated sympathetic comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin following his invasion of Ukraine, even as she has said she opposes the invasion.
Gabbard has consistently denied any connections to Russia, even going so far as to file a defamation suit against Hillary Clinton for suggesting Gabbard was “groomed” by the Kremlin. She later dropped the suit.
Gabbard has also faced criticism over her ties to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist movement that counts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a longtime member.
Reuters on Tuesday reported that eight Republican senators have expressed doubts about Gabbard as a qualified candidate, citing three unnamed sources on the matter.
The senators pointed to Gabbard’s seeming inability to answer “tough questions” during her meetings on Capitol Hill last week and her lack of experience for the role.
What People Are Saying
Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, said in an interview with Dallas’ WFAA that he found Gabbard to be a “very impressive person.”
“She’s smart. She’s serious,” Cruz said. “I think Tulsi is going to be confirmed. We’ll have a confirmation process for every one of these candidates.”
Republican Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina insisted on CNN on Tuesday that Trump’s nominees were “going to get confirmed.”
Foreign Policy for America published a letter earlier this month, signed by almost 100 former intelligence and national security officials, urging the Republican and Democrat Senate leaders that Gabbard “aligned herself with Russian and Syrian officials” and would be “the least experienced” person to ever lead national intelligence.
“Several of Ms. Gabbard’s past actions call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus,” the former officials wrote. “Her sympathy for dictators like Vladimir Putin and Assad raises questions about her judgment and fitness.”
What Happens Next
Gabbard has yet to indicate any hesitation to pursue her role, and she will face a full Senate confirmation hearing after Trump takes office and officially nominates her for the role of director of national intelligence.
Until Trump enters office, his nominations are merely suggestions, and candidates will face continued scrutiny from Congress.
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