Headline Roundup • February 12th, 2025
Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed as Director of National Intelligence
Summary from the AllSides News Team
In a vote on Wednesday, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was officially confirmed as the Director of National Intelligence in a 52-48 vote.
The Details: Former Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to join the Senate Democrats in opposing her confirmation. Vice President J.D. Vance was key in convincing skeptical Republicans of her fitness for the role. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton's (R-AR) support was also crucial to Gabbard’s confirmation effort.
For Context: Gabbard was considered one of President Donald Trump's more vulnerable picks because of her foreign policy views. During her confirmation hearing, she refused to call Edward Snowden a traitor, frustrating Republicans. Snowden stole 1.5 million classified documents from the National Security Agency in 2013. She was also questioned about her views on Russia and ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
How The Media Covered It: USA Today (Lean Left bias) mentioned the concerns of Democrats and the national security establishment but did not mention Gabbard's supporters. The Hill (Center) quoted both supporters and detractors. The National Review news (Lean Right) quoted Cotton and focused on Gabbard's day one goals.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Nathan Howard/Reuters
After a weeks-long effort to win over a handful of Senate Republican skeptics, Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed Wednesday morning by a 52-48 vote along party lines to serve as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence. Former Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell joined every Senate Democrat in opposing her confirmation.
Wednesday morning’s confirmation vote represents a major triumph for Gabbard, who was initially considered one of Trump’s most vulnerable nominees due to her unorthodox foreign policy views.
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence, adding the previously Democratic former Hawaii legislator to President Donald Trump's inner circle after lawmakers raised pointed questions about her views on Russia, ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified information.
Gabbard secured confirmation on a 52-48 vote. In her new role, Gabbard will oversee the 18 agencies within the U.S. Intelligence community, serving as the president's top adviser on intelligence matters.
The Senate voted largely along party lines Wednesday to confirm Tulsi Gabbard to serve as the director of national intelligence, the nation’s top intelligence official, despite strong objections from Democrats and initial misgivings from Republicans who questioned her experience and judgment.
The 52-48 vote caps two months of deliberations in the Senate over whether Gabbard, a former House Democrat from Hawaii, is qualified to lead the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies and prepare President Trump’s daily intelligence brief.
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