Gabbard Approved By Intelligence Committee, Moves Forward To Senate Confirmation Vote

The Senate Intelligence Committee voted on Tuesday to advance the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to the full U.S. Senate to be President Donald Trump’s Director of National Intelligence. The vote was strictly partisan, with all nine GOP members of the committee voting for her and all eight Democrats voting against her.

???? BREAKING: @TulsiGabbard's nomination was just APPROVED in the Senate Intelligence Committee. Final vote: 9-8. Next: Senate floor vote for confirmation.

— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) February 4, 2025

Committee Chairman Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) had strongly championed Gabbard for the post. “I support Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination. I’ve been working with her to move towards confirmation, and I look forward to working with her for four years for the badly needed reforms in our intelligence community,” Cotton said in late January. He added that she “understands” that “our intelligence community has grown too bloated, too bureaucratic, and it doesn’t do enough collection of intelligence. … She has spent more than 20 years in uniform serving our nation. She’s ready to serve again in this position …”

Tulsi Gabbard is a patriot who is more than qualified to lead ODNI. pic.twitter.com/m7ouTJbY7F

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) January 31, 2025

Before the vote, Gabbard had gained steam when two GOP senators who had been undecided stated they would vote for her: Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana.

“American intelligence officers around the globe deserve our respect and support. I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard’s engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership,” Young told POLITICO Tuesday morning.

“I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer,” he continued. “Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi’s nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security.”

Young had expressed concerns about Gabbard’s attitude toward Edward Snowden, having told her during last week’s hearings: “I think it would befit you, and be helpful to the way you are perceived by members of the intelligence community if you would at least acknowledge the greatest whistleblower in American history, so-called, harmed national security by breaking the laws of the land.”

Gabbard apparently allayed Young’s concerns with a letter in which she stated:

I commit to holding accountable and seeking justice against any Intelligence Community employee, contractor or subcontractor from making an unauthorized disclosure of any intelligence program. I will not advocate for any protections which should only be extended to lawful and legitimate whistleblowers to any Intelligence Community employee, contractor or subcontractor who makes or facilitates an unauthorized disclosure of any intelligence program. … I commit to not making any recommendation in a personal or professional capacity regarding the legal standing of Edward Snowden to the President of the United States or the Attorney General of the United States.