Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation advances to the Senate floor

The Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as director of national intelligence on Tuesday.

All nine Republicans on the committee voted to advance Gabbard’s nomination, while all eight Democrats voted against her. Although she eventually secured unanimous support from the GOP, some senators were holdouts following her heated confirmation hearings last week.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana publicly committed to supporting Gabbard only in the 11th hour ahead of the committee vote.

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today.

“I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard’s engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership,” Young said in a Tuesday post on X. “I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer.”

“Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi’s nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security,” Young added.

Although Collins has acted as a roadblock to other nominees, most notably voting against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, she did endorse Gabbard on Monday ahead of the vote.

“After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the director of national intelligence,” said Collins in a statement. “As one of the principal authors of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 that established this coordinating position, I understand the critical role the DNI plays in the Intelligence Community. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, however, has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size.”

“In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden,” Collins added. “I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security.”

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, narrowly advanced through the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday morning in a 14-13 party-line vote.

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