The letter signed by nearly 100 former national security officials criticizes President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to nominate former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. The officials called for closed-door Senate hearings to review any government information about Gabbard, citing concerns about her past actions, including aligning herself with Russian and Syrian officials after a trip to Syria. The signers include former senior officials such as Wendy Sherman and Ian Kelly, who have questioned Gabbard’s ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings. They also argue that Gabbard would be the least experienced person to hold the director position since its creation in 2004. The letter was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Majority Leader John Thune. In response, a spokesperson for Gabbard on the Trump transition team criticized the letter, as well as the credentials of the signers, accusing them of using classification as a partisan weapon. Gabbard is facing criticism for her sympathetic comments about U.S. adversaries, including calls for Ukraine to be neutral and doubts about U.S. intelligence agencies’ conclusions regarding Syria. Trump’s other expected nominees, such as Pete Hegseth for the Defense Department and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the Department of Health and Human Services, are also facing controversies and criticisms that could impact their Senate confirmation.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
