Nearly 100 former national security officials have signed a letter criticizing President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. The letter calls for closed-door Senate hearings to review any government information about Gabbard, citing concerns about her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings due to her past actions, including aligning herself with Russian and Syrian officials after a trip to Syria. The officials argue that Gabbard would be the least experienced person to hold the director position since its creation in 2004. They urge the Senate to carefully evaluate her qualifications and consider the impact of her appointment on the willingness of allies to share intelligence with the U.S. The letter was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Majority Leader John Thune, who have not commented on the matter. A spokesperson for Gabbard on the Trump transition team criticized the letter and questioned the credibility of the signers, accusing them of using classification as a partisan weapon. This criticism of Gabbard is part of a larger pattern of controversy surrounding Trump’s expected nominees, including allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking, vaccine skepticism, and sexual misconduct.
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Almost 100 former national security officials express concern over possibility of Gabbard leading intel community
