US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to head the intelligence department. The appointment has caused chaos in the intelligence world. Intelligence sources warned that it could slow down the information exchange of US allies. Gabbard, who has been criticized for her lack of experience, stood out with her pro-Russia and pro-Syria statements. Concerns that Gabbard will politicize the institutions have also escalated.
US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence. Trump’s choice has caused chaos in the intelligence world. According to the news in the US press, the Gabbard election has shocked national security institutions. Concerns have mounted that Tulsi Gabbard, who will take over as head of American intelligence, will politicize the institutions. It has been stated that Gabbard, who has been criticized for her lack of intelligence experience, may also be weak against important issues such as Russia and Syria.
INTELLIGENCE WORLD IS WORRIED Intelligence experts have warned that senior advisors may present Trump with distorted views of global threats. It has been stated that foreign allies may also be reluctant to cooperate with the US in sharing important information due to this concern. Security sources have stated that there may be an initial slowdown in intelligence sharing with Trump taking office. It has been noted that the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance consisting of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand may be negatively affected.
SUPPORTED RUSSIA Gabbard, 43, is known for her pro-Russian statements in the war against Ukraine. Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party in 2022, criticized President Joe Biden’s support for Ukraine. Gabbard had criticized that “if the Biden administration/NATO had acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns about Ukraine being a NATO member, the war and suffering could have been easily avoided.”
OPPOSED TO MILITARY INTERVENTION IN SYRIA
Gabbard, who also opposed US military intervention in the civil war in Syria during the Obama administration, met with Syrian President Bashar Assad, with whom Washington severed all diplomatic ties in 2012, in 2017. In order for Gabbard to become Director of National Intelligence, she must first be approved by a majority of the 100-member US Senate. Republicans are expected to win a majority in the Senate with at least 52 seats to 48 as of January.
