A Republican lawmaker has said that the Senate Intelligence Committee has “a lot of questions” for Tulsi Gabbard about a visit to Syria where she met with President Bashar al-Assad.
Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, who sits on the committee, said he wants to know the “context” and “purpose” of her meeting with the Syrian dictator in 2017 before he backs her as Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence.
“We’ll have lots of questions. She met with Bashar Assad, we’ll wanna know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was, as a member of Congress,” Lankford told CNN’s Dana Bash on State of the Union.
“We’ll wanna get a chance to talk about past comments that she’s made and get them into full context.”
Lankford said the committee would “get everything out” about Gabbard, and referred to her being “outspoken” in the past.
Gabbard has previously made statements and comments that have been supportive of Russia and has denied crimes were committed by the Syrian regime. In 2017, as a Democratic House member from Hawaii, she flew to Syria for a meeting with Assad.
“We’re gonna go through hearings. We’re gonna get everything out. We’re gonna get facts and information and get the entire story,” Lankford said.
“She is somebody who has been very outspoken. She’s obviously a past member of the military. She’s a veteran herself.”
Despite Lankford’s remarks, several other Republicans have been quick to defend Gabbard after her nomination by Trump sparked renewed concerns about her past comments and ties to foreign governments.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and veteran of combat missions in Iraq, warned on Sunday that Gabbard is “compromised” over her statements about Russia and the trip to Syria.
“The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check,” Duckworth also told State of the Union.
But Republican Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri said it was a “slur” to say that Gabbard is “compromised.”
“I think it’s — it’s really interesting that anybody that has a different political view now is being cast as a Russian asset. It’s totally ridiculous,” he told told NBC News’s Kristen Welker on Meet the Press.
“Tulsi Gabbard has served in our military. She served as a congresswoman from Hawaii, as a Democrat, I might add, part of this unique coalition that President Trump has put together and won and got that mandate. But I think it’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly,” he added.
Gabbard, a veteran and former Democratic House member, has promoted conspiracy theories about the U.S.’s involvement in Ukraine.
The former Hawaii congresswoman left Congress to embark on an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2020. She joined the Republican Party earlier this year, endorsed Trump and joined his presidential transition team.
Gabbard joined an Army reserve unit after serving 17 years in the Hawaii National Guard, and she points to her deployment experience to explain her skepticism towards U.S. military interventions.
Trump praised Gabbard for fighting “for our Country and the freedoms of all Americans,” when he tapped her for the position.
“As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – she is now a proud Republican!” Trump said. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.”
