Trump picks ex-Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence
President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday he맥스카지노s selected former Democratic congresswoman turned Trump supporter Tulsi Gabbard as his pick to be director of national intelligence.
The selection of Gabbard is sure to set off a major confirmation fight.
맥스카지노For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans. As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties - She is now a proud Republican!맥스카지노 Trump said in a statement announcing Gabbard맥스카지노s selection. 맥스카지노I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.맥스카지노
Gabbard, an Army National Guard veteran, unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020 as a Democrat but said she was leaving the Democratic Party in 2022. She campaigned with Trump and served on his transition team.
She has ties to Trump allies like Steve Bannon, who said in a statement to CNN: 맥스카지노I brought Colonel Gabbard to meet President Elect Trump in November 2016 for a role in the Administration. It did not work out then, but now we have one of the strongest America First proponents nominated to take charge of an out of control and destructive intelligence community.맥스카지노
Gabbard helped Trump in his debate prep before his September debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
맥스카지노If I can be helpful to President Trump in any way, it really is just sharing the experience that I had with her on that debate stage in 2020, and frankly helping to point out some ways that Kamala Harris has already shown that she맥스카지노s trying to move away from her record, move away from her positions,맥스카지노 Gabbard said with CNN맥스카지노s Dana Bash on 맥스카지노State of the Union.맥스카지노
Gabbard and Harris had several notable exchanges during the 2020 Democratic primary debates, where Harris criticized Gabbard for her foreign policy views while Gabbard challenged Harris맥스카지노 record on criminal justice.
When Gabbard ran for president in the 2020 campaign, she touted herself as an Iraq War vet with an anti-interventionist foreign policy.
The former Hawaii congresswoman has taken stances that have been at odds with US foreign policy, including meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Syria in 2017, and saying in 2019 that he was 맥스카지노not an enemy of the United States.맥스카지노
맥스카지노When the opportunity arose to meet with him, I did so because I felt that it맥스카지노s important that if we profess to truly care about the Syrian people, about their suffering, then we맥스카지노ve got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there is a possibility that we can achieve peace,맥스카지노 she said after her 2017 meeting.
Even as a Democrat, Gabbard shared some of Trump맥스카지노s isolationist instincts, supporting a withdrawal of US troops from Syria 맥스카지노 even as she declared during one of the Democratic primary debates that 맥스카지노Donald Trump is not behaving like a patriot.맥스카지노
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Gabbard blamed the Biden administration and NATO for failing to acknowledge 맥스카지노Russia맥스카지노s legitimate security concerns.맥스카지노
맥스카지노This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia맥스카지노s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine맥스카지노s becoming a member of NATO, which would mean US/NATO forces right on Russia맥스카지노s border,맥스카지노 Gabbard on X.
During Gabbard맥스카지노s presidential bid in the Democratic primary in 2019, Hillary Clinton that the Russians were 맥스카지노grooming맥스카지노 her to run as a third-party candidate.
CNN맥스카지노s Sara Murray contributed reporting.