What a Dick!
Dear ______:
Thank you for contacting me about President Trump’s nomination of Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). I appreciate hearing from you.
Tulsi Gabbard previously served in the House of Representatives, representing Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. A noted conspiracy theorist, Ms. Gabbard has regularly praised adversaries of the United States, war criminals, and despots. In 2017, she traveled to Syria shortly after then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against civilian populations, after which she troublingly supported Syrian denials of such atrocities despite multiple independent reports, including by agencies she would oversee as DNI. Ultimately, the Assad regime killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians and displaced millions more. She has also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and the illegitimate government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
While President Trump has the authority to nominate cabinet officials, the United States Constitution provides the Senate with the power of advice and consent. This means the Senate is responsible for determining whether a nominee is qualified or capable of fulfilling the duties of that role. Ms. Gabbard has regularly created national security concerns with her actions and statements, that I believe are disqualifying for someone wishing to serve as Director of National Intelligence.
On January 30, 2025, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held a hearing on Ms. Gabbard's nomination. On February 4, 2025, the committee advanced her nomination by by a vote of 9-8. No Democratic members of the committee voted for Ms. Gabbard. Her nomination now goes to the full Senate for consideration. I will be sure to keep your views in mind.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator