On Monday, the GOP-led Senate voted to break the filibuster on President Donald Trump‘s nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to become the director of national intelligence in his second-term administration.
The vote to invoke cloture on the Cabinet nominee was 52-46 along party lines. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Fetterman (D-PA) did not vote. Lawmakers have up to 30 hours of debate before a final confirmation vote.
Gabbard is a combat veteran, former House lawmaker from Hawaii, and 2020 presidential candidate who broke with the Democratic Party in 2022. Trump nominated her for the spy chief role in November.
“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength,” Trump said in a statement.
During her confirmation hearing at the end of January, Gabbard testified about ending the politicization of intelligence and restoring trust in the national security apparatus tasked with protecting American citizens.
Gabbard also called out what she said were attempts by critics to cast herself and Trump as a “puppet” to others, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, claiming that what “truly unsettles” them is “I refuse to be their puppet.”
Last week, the Intelligence Committee voted 9-8 along party lines to advance Gabbard’s nomination. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, also passed out of committee.
Gabbard apparently had alleviated concerns among some GOP senators over her stance on Edward Snowden and pledged in a letter to hold accountable those who make unauthorized disclosures of intelligence programs.
On Monday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) became the latest to publicly declare that she would vote for Gabbard even as the lawmaker noted that she had reservations about some of the nominee’s past positions.
“I appreciate her commitment to rein in the outsized scope of the agency, while still enabling the ODNI to continue its essential function in upholding national security,” Murkowksi said in a statement.
Securing the support of most if not all GOP senators will be key for Gabbard in the final confirmation vote after Fetterman, who had shown openness to some of Trump’s nominees, said he would not vote for her or Kennedy.
The Senate has confirmed a little more than a dozen of Trump’s second term Cabinet nominees, a process that has been stretched out as Democrats employ a number of delay tactics, such as forcing procedural votes.
On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee delayed a vote on Kash Patel’s bid to lead the FBI by a week after Democrats requested a hold. This also happened with Pam Bondi, who has since been confirmed as U.S. Attorney General.
“By this time in the Obama admin, TWICE as many of his noms were confirmed,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said on X. “It’s a total double standard from Democrats, but we won’t give up. We will confirm Trump’s entire team.”
