Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic representative, is almost confirmed to be President Trump’s fourteenth cabinet member.
On Wednesday, perhaps after midnight, the Senate will vote on Gabbard’s nomination to the position of director of national intelligence (DNI) under Trump.
Her nomination will be subject to a 30-hour post-cloture debate, which ends at this time. Republicans and Democrats often reach a “time agreement” to shorten the time it takes to debate cloture and cast a final vote. It is unlikely that such an agreement will be reached, given the contentious nature of Gabbard’s appointment and the persistent dissatisfaction with DOGE and its government audit.
With the backing of reluctant Republicans who voted against Trump’s defense secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance will need to overcome the impasse in the upper chamber to approve Gabbard.
Even the more moderate members of the conference, like Maine’s Susan Collins and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, have spoken out in favor of Gabbard. Hegseth was not confirmed by either legislature.
Collins helped bring the nomination to the floor of the Senate by voting in its support; she is a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The support of influential senators was also won by Gabbard. Todd Young (R-Indiana), who was unsure of his position before to the committee vote, and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), respectively.
After considerable nagging and consulting with Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Vance (who oversaw stringent operations to guarantee the nomination passed), Young (who is also on the Intel Committee) voted to bring her to the floor for consideration.
As Gabbard went through her confirmation hearing, questions about her support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, her views on FISA Section 702, and her earlier meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were among the issues that trailed her.
Her responses, together with the convincing backing of Cotton and Vance, seemed to allay these fears, though.