During the hourslong Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Thursday, President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, faced a barrage of questions regarding her qualifications and previous statements related to national security.
Gabbard made her appearance before the intelligence committee in the morning to seek support from lawmakers ahead of the Senate committee and floor votes.
Fox News Digital reported that, according to a senior Intel Committee aide, Gabbard did not have the majority vote of its committee members necessary to advance to the full Senate. She would likely need Republican votes to move past the committee if Democrats voted against her.
In response to concerns raised by anonymous sources, a spokesperson for Gabbard dismissed claims of inadequate votes, emphasizing her qualifications for the role.
Fox News Digital compiled the top moments from the hearing that ended before 1 p.m. on Thursday, moving to a closed session later in the day.
Gabbard emphasizes independence in opening statement
At the start of the hearing, Gabbard addressed anticipated “lies and smears” aimed at questioning her loyalty to the country and independence. She rejected claims of being a “puppet” for multiple entities, including Trump and Putin.
Gabbard highlighted the attacks on her since Trump’s presidency and her nomination, defending herself against accusations of being unqualified and a Russian asset.
Assessment of Edward Snowden
Throughout the hearing, Gabbard was repeatedly questioned about her views on Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower. She acknowledged Snowden had broken the law but maintained her commitment to upholding the nation’s security.
Gabbard’s comments on 9/11
Gabbard suggested that the intelligence failures leading to the 9/11 attacks could have been prevented if information had not been kept isolated. She highlighted the need to improve information sharing to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Insights on meeting with Assad
Gabbard defended her 2017 meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, emphasizing the importance of engaging with leaders directly to gain insights. She expressed surprise at the lack of interest from the intelligence community following the meeting.
Pledge to eliminate redundancies
Gabbard vowed to streamline the office of the director of national intelligence by cutting redundancies and enhancing efficiency. She committed to working with the committee to address recent intelligence failures and improve responsiveness to requests for information.
With her military background and previous experience in Congress, Gabbard outlined her dedication to national security and peace efforts. She emphasized the importance of making informed decisions to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips and Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
