President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, as his new director of national intelligence, a decision that has drawn significant attention and controversy, even among some Republicans.
Gabbard, 43, is a former Iraq war veteran and was the first Hindu and the first member born in the US territory of American Samoa to serve in Congress. She represented Hawaii’s 2nd district from 2013 to 2021 and notably supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential race. Gabbard also ran for president in 2020 but failed to secure the nomination.
In 2022, Gabbard made waves by leaving the Democratic Party, citing its shift towards “warmongers” and accusing it of being controlled by an elitist, “woke” cabal. This move and her criticism of the party’s direction are part of what makes her selection for the intelligence chief role especially controversial, given her views on foreign policy and military intervention.
Her appointment is raising eyebrows even within Trump’s own ranks due to her past statements, which contrast with the more hawkish stance of some of his other appointees, such as Marco Rubio for Secretary of State.
