President-elect Donald Trump has named former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as his decide for director of nationwide intelligence, praising the previous Democrat as “now a proud Republican.”
“For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans,” Trump mentioned of Gabbard, a former U.S. Military Reserve officer who represented Hawaii in Congress from 2013 to 2021.
“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. Tulsi will make us all proud!” Trump continued in his announcement.
Her nomination will should be confirmed by the Senate, which can return to Republican management in January.
Gabbard has by no means labored straight in intelligence, although she did serve for 2 years on the Home’s Homeland Safety Committee. If confirmed, she’ll arrive to the job with far much less expertise than the division’s present director, Avril Haines, who spent a number of years in prime nationwide safety and intelligence positions earlier than she was confirmed.
KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI through Getty Photographs
Gabbard, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has taken a tough rightward shift in recent times. In August, she endorsed Trump for president regardless of calling him “corrupt” and “unfit” for workplace simply 5 years prior. Final month, with Trump at her facet, she introduced she was formally leaving the Democratic Celebration.
“It is because of my love for our country and, specifically, because of the leadership that President Trump has brought to transform the Republican Party and bring it back to the party of the people and the party of peace, that I’m proud to stand here with you today, President Trump, and announce that I’m joining the Republican Party,” Gabbard mentioned at a Trump rally in North Carolina.
Trump’s final director of nationwide intelligence, former Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe, was equally mild on intelligence expertise. Although the place is traditionally thought-about to be nonpartisan, Ratcliffe was a loyal soldier to Trump who promoted the president-elect’s conspiracy theories in regards to the investigation into Russian interference within the 2016 election.
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Ratcliffe assumed the function after Trump fired his first director, Dan Coats, who publicly contradicted Trump on Russia, North Korea and Iran.
