Trump’s nominee for intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, refuses to call Edward Snowden a “traitor”, noting that the whistleblower “exposed egregious, illegal and unconstitutional programs“.
She also dismisses those in power who are trying to discredit her and block her nomination – saying it is because they are actually afraid that she “refuses to be their puppet”.
In her new role, Gabbard will lead the notorious intelligence organizations NSA and CIA, among others, and last week she was questioned by a Senate committee. Gabbard is seen by many establishment politicians as a highly controversial choice, with her opponents arguing that US security interests would be jeopardized if the nomination were to be approved.
This is partly because, in her role as a senator, Gabbard has previously been highly critical of US foreign policy in conflict zones and has praised whistleblowers such as Edward Snowden, who revealed graphic details of the US government’s mass surveillance program.
“This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns”, she wrote on social media in early 2022, for example – a comment that members of the committee sought to discredit and hold her accountable for.
BENNET: Did you blame Biden and NATO for Russia invaded Ukraine?
GABBARD: I believe you are reading my tweet, senator
BENNET: Yes is the answer. pic.twitter.com/bDUHz31waa
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 30, 2025
Smear campaigns and suspicions
Gabbard clarified before the Senate committee, among other things, that she believes it was Russia that launched the invasion of Ukraine, but this did not stop her antagonists from accusing the Hawaiian senator of favoring the interests of foreign governments. Among other things, Gabbard was labeled suspect for meeting with then-Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in 2017 for diplomatic talks. There were also attempts to link her to the Lebanese Muslim Party and the militia group Hezbollah.
According to anonymous sources, there is widespread concern that Ms. Gabbard “does not share the same sympathies and values as the intelligence community” – and the senator was also attacked for previously expressing support for Edward Snowden. Among other things, the committee demanded that Gabbard call Snowden a “traitor” – which she refused to do.
Instead, she noted that he certainly broke the law and leaked sensitive information, something she herself did not sympathize with – but noted that this information at the same time “exposed egregious, illegal and unconstitutional programs”.
This angry little Colorado Senator Bennet loses it when Tulsi Gabbard refuses to label Edward Snowden a traitor. pic.twitter.com/lY6RHHTzzc
— Joe Quinn (@SeosQuinn) January 30, 2025
“Refusing to be their puppet”
In her opening remarks to the committee, Gabbard described how her primary motivation is to “ensure the safety, security and freedom of the American people”.
– I will do my very best to find the truth, no matter where it leads, and share the truth with President Trump, his advisors, and you in Congress, she assured.
At the same time, the senator warned that there are forces that want to do everything they can to prevent her from leading the US intelligence community – not because she is unfit, but because they cannot control her in the same way as her predecessor.
– Those who oppose my nomination imply that I am loyal to something or someone other than God, my own conscience, and the Constitution of the United States, accusing me of being Trump’s puppet, Putin’s puppet, Assad’s puppet, a guru’s puppet, Modi’s puppet, not recognizing the absurdity of simultaneously being the puppet of 5 different puppet masters.
– They used the same tactic against President Trump and failed. The American people elected President Trump with a decisive victory and mandate for change. The fact is what truly unsettles my political opponents is I refuse to be their puppet, she continued.
“Our leaders cozy up to Islamist extremists”
Gabbard also took the opportunity to highlight the hypocrisy of many US leaders and how Islamist Salafist movements such as Al-Qaeda and HTS are suddenly promoted as legitimate actors, and direct allies when it benefits the interests of those in power.
– I have no love for Assad or any dictator. I just hate al-Qaeda. I hate that our leaders cozy up to Islamist extremists, calling them “rebels”, she continued.
– As Jake Sullivan said to Hillary Clinton: “Al-Qaeda is on our side in Syria.” Syria is now controlled by al-Qaeda offshoot HTS, led by an Islamist Jihadist who danced in the streets on 9/11, and who was responsible for the killing of many American soldiers, the senator noted.