Additional Coverage:
Newly appointed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is hitting the ground running. On her first full day, she’s heading to the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
There, she’ll participate in 30 bilateral meetings with international counterparts, including representatives from key allies like Great Britain, France, Germany, and Australia. Gabbard will also deliver remarks at a conference luncheon alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
During her January confirmation hearing, Gabbard outlined her vision for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). She emphasized President Trump’s goal of reforming the intelligence community, eliminating politicization, and rebuilding public trust.
Gabbard’s priorities include identifying intelligence gaps, improving information sharing, and ensuring unbiased analysis for presidential decision-making. She stressed the importance of de-politicizing the intelligence community and restoring trust through transparency and accountability.
Her focus echoes the second Trump administration’s emphasis on government reform. Gabbard aims to streamline the ODNI, created after 9/11, for improved efficiency and resource allocation.
Gabbard’s confirmation process involved extensive meetings with senators, who voiced concerns about past intelligence failures. She faced tough questioning about her stance on surveillance tools and the Edward Snowden case.
The Senate confirmed her nomination 52-48, with no Democratic support and one Republican defection. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, whom Gabbard endorsed for president in 2016, also voted against her.
Gabbard’s agenda includes addressing critical intelligence concerns, such as the 2023 Hamas attack, the 2024 Syrian rebel takeover, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, Havana Syndrome, and unidentified anomalous phenomena.
As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve with over two decades of service, including deployments to Iraq, Kuwait, and Djibouti, Gabbard is the first female DNI with a military background. She intends to continue serving in the Reserve while leading the intelligence community. Gabbard plans to leverage her military and congressional experience to bring a fresh perspective to her new role.