Tulsi Gabbard, former Democrat congresswoman turned Trump ally, joined the Senate Intelligence Committee at 10 a.m. (ET) as she seeks confirmation to become director of national intelligence.
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Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) opened Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation hearing to serve as the next director of national intelligence with a staunch defense of the embattled nominee, admonishing colleagues not to “impugn” her patriotism or integrity.
And he reminded the audience in the Dirksen Senate Office Building hearing room that he will not allow any disruptions.
“I’m dismayed by the attacks on Ms. Gabbard’s patriotism and loyalty to country,” he said, citing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s charge that she’s an “asset” for a foreign nation.
“Let me remind everyone that Ms. Gabbard has served in our Army for more than two decades, she has multiple combat tours, and she still wears the uniform today,” Cotton said.
And Cotton said he shared some of Gabbard’s national security and foreign policy views which critics have called “unconventional.”
“I can only laugh at some critics who say that Ms. Gabbard has unconventional views. No doubt she has some unconventional views, like her criticism of Barack Obama’s regime-change interventions in Egypt and Libya. But guess what? I opposed the disastrous interventions in Egypt and Libya as well,” he said.
Cotton announced on “Fox and Friends” Thursday morning that he will back Gabbard’s nomination to head the nation’s intelligence community.
President Trump’s choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, is also back in Capitol Hill as his Senate confirmation hearing presses forward.
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In introducing Kash Patel, President Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sought to dispel that the nominee has an enemies list.
Patel listed those he sees as “government gangsters” in a book he wrote by the same name.
But Grassley said the accusation is “unfounded.”
“This is not a fair characterization. As he stated, quote: ‘There is no revenge list.’ End of quote. Mr. Patel has identified those he believes have put politics of personal ambition over service to the country. He’s called out those who use the institutions like the FBI to achieve their own personal gain,” Grassley said.
“Mr. Patel has said he believes that people who do this should be named, and that Americans deserve transparency so that they can make their own judgment.”
