Gabbard confirmed as head of National Intelligence in win for Trump; Kennedy could be next 

Tulsi Gabbard has been confirmed as Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence following a lengthy process of securing enough votes in the Senate. 

The chamber approved her 52-48 Wednesday, almost two weeks after her contentious confirmation hearing. Mitch McConnell, the former Senate Republican leader, joined all Senate Democrats in opposing her. 

Gabbard, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and former Democrat who ran for President in 2020, was controversial for her positions on foreign policy and matters including warrantless wiretaps and Edward Snowden, who leaked national security documents, National Review reported, leading some Republicans to hesitate in supporting her. 

Vice President JD Vance helped win over Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, including with written assurances from Gabbard that she would seek justice for unauthorized information leakers while protecting “lawful and legitimate” whistleblowers. 

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who helped draft Gabbard’s hearing testimony and counseled the White House on how to win votes for her approval, urged her to downsize and refocus the national intelligence office she now leads (ODNI).  

“Incredibly, the ODNI is now larger than many agencies it was established to manage,” Cotton said during her confirmation hearing. “It has fifteen offices and centers, which have many subunits within them.  The ODNI staff is measured in the thousands, when it should be measured in the dozens, maybe a few hundred.” 

National Review reported Gabbard’s confirmation is a boost for Republicans, who hope to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., another former Democrat, as Health and Human Services director tomorrow. 

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, told the National Review it was “a seminal moment,” last week, especially for Trump. 

“This team that he’s assembled represents that broad coalition. So the fact that you’ve got a Republican Senate that’s going to sign off on that now I do think is a big deal.”