Tulsi Gabbard, who in 2017 flew to Damascus to confer with now-ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, began Monday to meet with senators as part of her nomination process to be director of national intelligence — including Graham, Lankford and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-Okla.). Gabbard, 43, who has never worked in the intelligence world, will meet with additional Senate Intelligence Committee Republicans this week, The Hill’s Al Weaver reports.
Her ability to clear Senate confirmation is a question mark. She is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, a former Democrat who endorsed Trump this year, and was once a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who represented Hawaii in the House until 2021. Known for opposing “endless wars” and for espousing unconventional foreign policy views, Gabbard has denied peddling Kremlin disinformation. She has made remarks about the Russia-Ukraine war that were sympathetic to Moscow and echoed by Russian state media — which has praised her nomination.