Trump taps Ukraine-skeptic Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence

President-elect Trump announced on Nov. 13 that Tulsi Gabbard would take on the role of director of national intelligence, marking a notable shift for the former Democrat who has opposed U.S. support for Ukraine and had previously been accused of promoting Russian narratives.

"For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans. As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties - She is now a proud Republican!" Trump said in a statement announcing Gabbard’s selection.

"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."

Gabbard, a veteran of the Army National Guard, ran unsuccessfully for president as a Democrat in 2020 but announced her departure from the Democratic Party in 2022. She later campaigned alongside Trump and was part of his transition team.

In early 2022, she echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin's justification for the invasion of Ukraine, attributing the cause not to Moscow but to the Biden administration's failure to acknowledge "Russia’s legitimate security concerns."

"This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO, which would mean US/NATO forces right on Russia’s border," Gabbard wrote on X.

Gabbard also claimed that the U.S. is fueling a proxy war with Russia that could lead to a "forever war."

A 2022 report by The Intercept highligthed that in the days leading up to the 2022 invasion, Russian news reports have featured translated clips of Tucker Carlson, a conservative political commentator, or his guest Gabbard attacking the Biden administration.

After Russia launched its military assault on Ukraine, Gabbard posted the video of her Fox News comments about U.S. sanctions against Russia on Twitter (now X) and suggested, without evidence, that "doing anything to press Putin to stop the invasion of Ukraine could lead to a nuclear war."

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