WASHNIGTON — Almost 100 former high-ranking U.S. diplomats, intelligence, and national security officials have called on Senate leaders to hold closed hearings for a comprehensive examination of the government’s records concerning former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who has been selected by Donald Trump to take on the role of national intelligence director.
These ex-officials, who have served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, expressed their deep concern regarding Gabbard’s appointment to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They voiced that her prior actions “raise significant doubts” about her capability to provide impartial intelligence assessments to the President, Congress, and the broader national security framework.
A representative of Gabbard from the Trump transition team dismissed the outreach as an “unfounded” and “partisan” critique on Thursday.
The letter was signed by notable figures including former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, ex-NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, national security adviser Anthony Lake, alongside numerous retired ambassadors and senior military officials.
On Wednesday, they addressed their concerns to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Republican Majority Leader John Thune, advocating for closed briefings to be part of the Senate’s evaluation of Trump’s key appointments.
They insisted that Senate committees “should assess all available information concerning Ms. Gabbard’s credentials to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies, emphasizing the safeguarding of intelligence sources and operatives.”
The letter specifically mentions Gabbard’s controversial meetings in 2017 with Syrian President Bashar Assad, a leader backed by Russian, Iranian, and allied forces in the ongoing conflict against Syrian opposition factions.
The United States severed ties with Assad’s administration and imposed sanctions due to his conduct during the civil war while maintaining around 900 troops in northeastern Syria to prevent extremist factions from regaining power.
At the time of her visit to Syria, Gabbard, representing Hawaii as a Democratic member of Congress, faced substantial backlash for interacting with an adversarial figure known for his oppressive regime.
Furthermore, the letter underscored that her remarks regarding conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have, at times, mirrored Russian narratives, often deviating from established U.S. policies.
Throughout her political journey, Gabbard has consistently advocated for a reduction in U.S. military involvement overseas, apart from actions against extremist groups. She has defended her trip to Syria as crucial for engaging adversaries.
Earlier this year, Gabbard revealed in social media posts that she had been placed “on a secret terror watch list” due to being labeled a “potential domestic terror threat,” which she attributed to political reprisals. However, neither she nor U.S. officials have elaborated on the specifics surrounding this designation.
Alexa Henning, a representative for Gabbard within the Trump team, criticized the letter to Senate leaders as “a prime example” of why Trump nominated Gabbard for the position.
“These baseless allegations come from those responsible for decades of flawed ‘intelligence’ and misuse classified information as a partisan tool to slander political adversaries,” Henning remarked.
A spokesperson for Thune has not yet responded to inquiries about the request for closed hearings.
