Tulsi Gabbard made history last week when the Senate narrowly confirmed her as Director of National Intelligence with a 52 to 48 vote. The confirmation came after weeks of pointed scrutiny focused on her previous statements regarding United States intelligence practices, her defense of Edward Snowden, and skepticism about surveillance policies and assessments of foreign governments. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle voiced objections, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying she would struggle to secure bipartisan support under different circumstances, and ranking Intelligence Committee Democrat Mark Warner calling her unfit for the job due to her history of defending whistleblowers and her criticisms of intelligence consensus on issues like Syrian policy. Gabbard countered these accusations in her testimony, labeling them offensive and reaffirming her commitment to protecting national security. She stated that her proposed intelligence reforms could prevent leaks like those of Snowden, and pointed to her track record of supporting sanctions and military aid against United States adversaries. Ultimately, nearly all Senate Republicans closed ranks to back her, with only former Republican leader Mitch McConnell crossing the aisle to oppose her confirmation according to reporting by Todayville.

Within days of stepping into her new post, Gabbard was called upon to respond to international fallout surrounding recent United States military actions. The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Colombia have all scaled back intelligence sharing with the United States, citing concerns about the legality and human rights implications of recent American airstrikes. This revelation came via a letter from congressmen Jim Himes and Joaquin Castro to Gabbard, marking the first public acknowledgment that multiple close United States allies have openly reduced cooperation due to ongoing disagreements over transparency and oversight. The congressmen warned that this breakdown in trust undermines United States national security, and they have pressed Gabbard for an immediate briefing on the issue as reported by The Daily Herald.

On the domestic front, Gabbard joined President Trump in highlighting a major overhaul of counter-narcotics enforcement. Addressing the press aboard the Coast Guard cutter Stone, she explained that the administration is now deploying a full-range government response to interdict drug trafficking, with a new focus on integrating advanced surveillance and intelligence operations across agencies. She praised the adaptability and expanded capability of United States maritime patrol forces and noted that Trump’s approach goes beyond previous tactics, applying military as well as traditional Coast Guard tools to counter fast-evolving smuggling networks. Business Insider reports that Gabbard described this as an all-hands approach to fulfill the administration’s promise to crack down on drug crime and ensure safe communities.

Adding to the busy week, Gabbard also met with a delegation of Orthodox Christian clergy in Washington alongside other senior officials, a visit that triggered fresh debate in the policy world about the influence of international religious networks and ties to Russian groups according to Religion News Service.

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