Donald Trump was anticipated to select an outsider to lead the U.S. intelligence community, but he surpassed expectations by choosing Tulsi Gabbard.
The former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii has drawn criticism from many quarters and lacks formal intelligence experience. Gabbard is primarily known for her strong opposition to U.S. military interventions abroad and for her controversial, often sympathetic, views on authoritarian leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.
Despite the surprise, some viewed Gabbard’s nomination as a relief compared to fears that Trump might pick the combative former diplomat Ric Grenell, who briefly served as acting DNI during Trump’s first administration. However, Gabbard’s nomination is expected to face significant opposition in the Senate confirmation process.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed his concerns, stating, “I have a lot of questions,” after the announcement.
Gabbard, 43, left the Democratic Party in 2022 and has since become a prominent figure in conservative media. She endorsed Trump in August and later joined him on the campaign trail. Her foreign policy views, which often place her outside the mainstream of U.S. national security experts from both parties, have been a point of contention. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she called for Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv to “put geopolitics aside” and suggested the war could have been avoided if the West had ensured Ukraine would never join NATO.
In 2017, Gabbard made a secret trip to meet Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, later declaring that al-Assad “is not the enemy of the United States.”
Gabbard’s military background includes 17 years in the Hawaii National Guard and subsequent service in an Army reserve unit. She has deployed to the Horn of Africa, Kuwait, and Iraq, which she says contributed to her deep skepticism of U.S. interventionism. However, despite her service, she never held a seat on the House Intelligence Committee during her eight years in Congress.
Her potential appointment has raised alarms abroad, too. One Western intelligence official warned that Gabbard’s nomination could cause America’s allies to limit intelligence sharing with Washington. “I imagine even Israel will have serious qualms,” the official said, citing Israel as a key intelligence partner in counterterrorism efforts. The official also expressed concern that intelligence shared with the U.S. might be influenced by political considerations under Gabbard’s leadership rather than being driven by professional intelligence priorities.