Senate Republicans and their allies believe former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s chances of being confirmed as director of national intelligence will hinge on her performance during her confirmation hearing next week, with several mentioning she has an “uphill battle” in her chances of being confirmed.
“We’ve always thought it would be an uphill battle,” said a person close to the White House, speaking anonymously to reflect candidly on the situation. “I just think she faces more problems with Republicans, a small handful of Republicans, than she does from Democrats.”
President Donald Trump remains fully supportive of Gabbard, the same source told the Washington Examiner, but said there’s a feeling that it will all hinge on how she does in the hearing, which has been set for Jan. 30, after facing delays due to a missing FBI background check and ethics disclosure forms.
“She’s going to have to prep and have some great answers because it’s one thing with the Democrats trying to throw you under the bus, but the question is what will Republicans try to do to make you bad? That should be a concern. It’s a make-or-break moment,” the person added. “Tulsi is going to have to come prepared, raise the bar and if she does it and Trump is still behind her, she’ll get confirmed. He’s all about loyalty and she’s been loyal.”
While no Republican has come out against Gabbard’s nomination, there are senators on both sides of the aisle who have expressed concern about her meeting with now-ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2017, her comments repeating Russian talking points, and her skepticism over findings of the very intelligence community she is seeking to lead.
Several GOP senators in recent days said they have concerns about Gabbard’s past support for Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who was charged with leaking classified information that revealed U.S. surveillance programs who fled to Russia and became a naturalized citizen there.
When she was still in the House, Gabbard introduced a resolution with former Rep. Matt Gaetz that called for all charges to be dropped against Snowden, and she urged Trump at the end of his first term to pardon Snowden and others who “exposed the deception and criminality of those in the deep state.”
“Yes, that is still a concern,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said to the Washington Examiner.
Gabbard was seated next to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at Trump’s inauguration on Monday, a situation one GOP senator called “unlucky optics,” pointing to the potential that Gabbard may not even survive a committee vote.
“Structurally, I don’t think so,” the GOP senator said, speaking to the Washington Examiner on the condition of anonymity about whether Gabbard’s nomination has a shot. “She’s got a lot of challenges, not the least of which is a single ‘no’ vote in committee fails the nomination.”
Even if Gabbard’s nomination fails to get the votes in the Intelligence Committee, there are ways for her nomination to be considered on the floor. The Republican senator said he would put her chances of success at 50/50.
“They’re doing what they should do, trying to get a little momentum,” the senator said, referencing the fact that the committee has set her hearing date. “But I just don’t — I think it would be one of the least likely [to be confirmed].”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), a member of the panel, said, “We don’t have an endangered species list at this point.”
“As far as I can tell, I think we are pretty solid on the noms, all of them at this point. I’ve not heard anything to the contrary at this point,” he said.
Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), two members of the panel, have not said how they would vote on Gabbard’s nomination.
“I am waiting for the hearing to ask questions I have. I wouldn’t characterize any of them as concerns at this point, but there are things I need to learn. There are answers I intend to elicit,” Young said, speaking to reporters on Thursday.
Moran said he doesn’t make decisions on nominations until after confirmation hearings.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), the chairman of the panel, accused the media of attempting to “deny President Trump’s crucial national security nominees a fair hearing by running anonymous smears” in a post on X on Thursday, likely alluding to reports about Gabbard’s nomination.
The media wants to deny President Trump’s crucial national security nominees a fair hearing by running anonymous smears.
This playbook may have worked in the past.
It won’t anymore.
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) January 23, 2025
“The media wants to deny President Trump’s crucial national security nominees a fair hearing by running anonymous smears. This playbook may have worked in the past. It won’t anymore,” he said.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), a key ally of Gabbard who served with her in the House, said the media are moving on from Pete Hegseth, who appears to be on the brink of confirmation as defense secretary, and turning their attention to the former Hawaii congresswoman’s nomination.
“Not a single @SenateGOP member is currently on record opposing Lt. Col. @TulsiGabbard’s nomination. I’m proud to be in this fight to get my friend and fellow patriot confirmed ASAP,” he said in a post on X.
Alexa Henning, a Gabbard spokeswoman, also relayed a similar message, saying there is “not one GOP senator on record opposing Lt. Col. Gabbard’s nomination.”
“In fact, there are many on record including bipartisan members of the Senate Intel Committee who have shown positive support for her nomination and qualifications,” Henning said in a statement. “She’s met with almost every GOP senator in the U.S. Senate and Democrats who’ve accepted her invitation to meet. She is continuing the advice and consent process in the Senate and looks forward to her hearing.”
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A source close to the White House said there are concerns that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is not on board with Gabbard’s nomination, and despite no longer being the Senate Republican leader, he still has a significant amount of influence.
“If Mitch votes against her, it gives permission to others to hide behind him,” the person said. “Everyone still owes McConnell because he gave them money for their campaigns.”
David Sivak contributed to this report.
