In response to the Senate Intelligence Committee Republicans voting to advance Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as Director of National Intelligence, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“I wouldn’t trust Tulsi Gabbard with my garage code – let alone America’s intelligence command center. But once again, Donald Trump is playing games with our national security and risking the safety of Americans while taking a wrecking ball to our economy. Tulsi Gabbard’s hearing was a disaster, and if confirmed, she will be a disaster. Americans deserve better.”

NEW: The Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be Director of National Intelligence after her disastrous confirmation hearing, which made even Trump’s allies question her fitness. 

Manu Raju, CNN: “9-8, Senate Intel votes to approve Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be DNI”

NBC News: “There is growing concern in political circles that Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for director of national intelligence could be in serious trouble after a confirmation hearing this past week that left even Republican senators openly questioning whether she should be put in such a critical role, multiple people familiar with the matter told NBC News.” 

REMINDER: During her hearing, Gabbard flip flopped on critical issues, refused to answer if she would follow illegal orders, and refused to denounce dictators. 

Sen. Mark Warner: “What are the reforms that have led you to now support 702?

Gabbard: *Doesn’t answer question*

Sen. Warner: “I ask you a question. Please give me the courtesy of responding. You said the reforms now make you supportive. … Can you cite which reforms?”

Gabbard: *Doesn’t answer question*

Sen. Warner: “After the reforms were passed into law in April of ’24, you went on Joe Rogan’s podcast in May … And you said ‘This bill took an already bad problem and made it many, many times worse.’ Again, in my mind, this is a question of judgment. 702 is critical. I appreciate this late conversion, but I’m not sure I buy it because you had such a consistent position.”

Sen. Ron Wyden: “If President Trump orders you to withhold appropriated funds from the inspector general, will you refuse that illegal order?”

Gabbard: *Doesn’t answer* 

Sen. Wyden: “That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking if you are asked about an illegal order, what will you do?”

Gabbard: *Doesn’t answer again* 

Sen. Michael Bennet: “At the very moment that Russian tanks were rolling across the peaceful border of Ukraine for the first time, you tweeted at 11:30 p.m. your time: ‘This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden administration/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s … legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO. Did you say that? Yes or no?”

Gabbard: “I believe you’re reading my tweet, Senator.”

Sen. Bennett: “Yes is the answer. … You are agreeing that you basically said that Putin was justified in rolling over the peaceful border of Ukraine, the first time since World War II that a free nation had been invaded by a totalitarian state, and you were there at 11:30 p.m. that night to say that you are with them, not us. … You say you don’t know because you don’t read Russian propaganda. Russian state TV then aired your comments. Did you know that?”

Gabbard: *Dodges*

If confirmed, Gabbard — who has long defended despots and dictators at the expense of our democratic allies — will be the key voice helping Trump make hundreds of critical national security, military, and foreign policy decisions. 

National Review: “Tulsi Gabbard’s Discomforting Dictator Alliance”

Daily Beast: “Tulsi Gabbard: Syrian Dictator Assad Is ‘Not the Enemy of the United States’”

CNN: “Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is not the enemy of the United States, standing by her opposition to US involvement in that country’s civil war two years after she met personally with the accused war criminal. ‘Assad is not the enemy of the United States because Syria does not pose a direct threat to the United States,’ Gabbard said Wednesday morning on MSNBC.” 

Politico: “The GOP’s new, Russia-friendly campaign-trail buddy: Tulsi Gabbard”

Salon: “Tulsi Gabbard’s journey to Donald Trump is an ominous sign of Putin’s power”

NBC News: “Russian web trolls boo Biden, often boost Gabbard, report finds”

Gabbard: “It was a good thing that Trump met with [Kim Jong Un].”

NBC News: “An NBC News analysis of the main English-language news sites employed by Russia in its 2016 election meddling shows Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who is set to make her formal announcement Saturday, has become a favorite of the sites Moscow used when it interfered in 2016. Several experts who track websites and social media linked to the Kremlin have also seen what they believe may be the first stirrings of an upcoming Russian campaign of support for Gabbard.”

The Intercept: “But in the days leading up to [Russia’s] attack [on Ukraine], as the state broadcaster worked to tarnish Ukraine and cast American criticism of President Vladimir Putin as hysterical, its producers borrowed heavily from another source: Fox News. At least four times this week, Russian news reports have featured translated clips of Tucker Carlson or his guest Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic U.S. representative.”

Gabbard attacked efforts to investigate January 6 and repeatedly campaigned with notorious election deniers and conspiracy theorists. 

2022: Gabbard campaigned for prominent election deniers including Kari Lake, Don Bolduc, and Blake Masters.

Fox News: “Tulsi Gabbard slams the Jan 6 hearings: It’s ‘political interest’”