During a recent appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Tulsi Gabbard vehemently denied allegations that she met with members of Hezbollah during a trip to Lebanon in 2017, dismissing the claims as 'absurd.' The accusations stemmed from raw intelligence suggesting that Gabbard may have interacted with affiliates of the Iran-backed militant group during her visit to Syria in 2017, where she also met with then-President Bashar al-Assad.
The intelligence in question, while inconclusive, included intercepted communications referencing Gabbard during her trip. Notably, Gabbard was not the primary target of the surveillance. Lawmakers and staff debated the credibility of the reports and whether they should impact Gabbard's confirmation process, given the potential for inaccuracies.
Senator Susan Collins directly questioned Gabbard about the allegations, to which Gabbard firmly responded that she had never knowingly met with any members, leaders, or affiliates of Hezbollah. The intercepted communications initially did not identify Gabbard as the American citizen involved, and it was only later revealed by senior Trump administration officials.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence linking Gabbard to Hezbollah, the reports raised concerns within the national security council during the Trump administration. Access to the intelligence was restricted, but it resurfaced when Gabbard was nominated for a top intelligence position under Trump, prompting further scrutiny by select senators and staff on Capitol Hill.
