Republican Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton has come to the defense of President Donald Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, amidst accusations that she may be an asset of a foreign nation. Cotton stated that he reviewed Gabbard's most recent FBI background check and found it to be 'clean as a whistle.'
Gabbard has faced scrutiny due to her limited experience in the intelligence community and her public positions on Syria and the war in Ukraine, which some national security officials view as aligned with Russian propaganda.
During Gabbard's confirmation hearing, Cotton highlighted that she has undergone five FBI background checks, with the most recent one being over 300 pages long. He emphasized her military service record, noting her two decades of service in the Army, including multiple combat tours.
Cotton acknowledged that there may be disagreements with some of Gabbard's views, but he urged against questioning her patriotism and integrity. He expressed hope that members of both parties would refrain from impugning her character.
Gabbard's controversial actions include meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2017 and stating that he was 'not an enemy of the United States' in 2019, despite Assad's regime being toppled recently.
