Gabbard kicks off Capitol Hill meetings amid questions over Syria

Tulsi Gabbard is facing a key week on Capitol Hill as she makes the rounds with senators in an attempt to smooth over their concerns and win confirmation to lead the U.S.’s national intelligence apparatus. 

Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in the House as a Democrat, has flown under the radar in recent weeks, especially with much of the focus on former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) bid to become attorney general and Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon. 

But she faces myriad queries from Senate Republicans about her past remarks on Russia and about a 2017 visit to Syria — during which she declared that now-deposed President Bashar Assad wasn’t an “enemy” of the U.S. — topics that have become more prominent since rebels took control of Damascus over the weekend.

“There’s just a lot of questions that need to be answered,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), a member of Republican leadership.

“I’m certain she can answer these questions,” Capito continued, adding that Gabbard hasn’t talked publicly about these topics with enough specificity, including on Syria. “To a lot of people … she’s sort of too undefined to really form an opinion, so she needs to really get out [there].” 

Gabbard kicked off her meetings with a trio of Senate Republicans on Monday, including Sens. James Lankford (Okla.) and Mike Rounds (S.D.), both of whom serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee and will help control her fate. 

But key to whether she succeeds or fails is her ability to assuage skepticism from some corners of the GOP conference.

Unlike in much of the MAGA-verse, Senate Republicans are still largely supportive of Ukraine and the conference includes a number of defense hawks whose views clash directly with Gabbard’s comments in recent years that have been viewed as sympathetic to Russia. Russian state media has also praised her selection. 

But Trump World appears ready to go to the mat to defend her, especially as some of President-elect Trump’s selections have withdrawn and others remain in tricky waters. 

“I think she’s great. 100 percent supportive of her. A lot of people take issues with some of the stuff she’s done,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who served alongside her in the House.

He pointed to her status as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and that she was in Oklahoma over the weekend for a training assignment. 

“I believe she knows what she needs to do and her foreign policy, I bet you, is going to line up with the direction of this country. I remind you, she’s able to serve the country in the Army and we’re saying that we’re concerned about her position now because she’s been nominated for DNI? It’s a non-starter for me. She would be wonderful in that position.” 

Her supporters are also critical of calls by Democrats and detractors who argue that she is a security risk and is unable to pass a background check. 

“That’s bulls---,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.), noting her military status and that she already has Top Secret clearance. “There’s a lot of hyperbole out there.”

The timing of her Capitol Hill tour, however, could not be worse after the Assad regime faltered in recent days after rebels overtook Damascus, forcing the dictator to flee the country. Moscow confirmed he was granted asylum in Russia after his 24-year reign came to an end. 

Senators and aides both conceded that the nascent troubles in the region have created a new batch of headaches for the former Hawaii congresswoman. 

“Let’s flesh that out,” Capito said about Gabbard’s past claim that Assad was not a U.S. “enemy,” but adding that her views on Syria are not disqualifying. 

Gabbard herself also tried to quell questions about Assad and Syria, telling reporters after meeting with Lankford that she backs Trump’s calls for the U.S. to stay out of the fighting in the region, and that there should be an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine with negotiations starting in short order. 

“I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days in regards to the developments in Syria,” she said. 

“My own views and experiences have been shaped by my multiple deployments and seeing first hand the cost of war, the threat of Islamist terrorism is one of the many reasons I appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his election for he is fully committed, as he has said over and over, to bringing about an end to wars, demonstrating peace through strength and putting the national security interests and the safety, security and freedom of the United States first and foremost,” she added.

Gabbard is one of multiple nominees that have questions floating around them ahead of next month’s confirmation, alongside Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become secretary of the Department Health and Human Services and Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) to become Labor secretary.

But even those inclined to back her admitted they still want answers on some issues. Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), the third GOP member to meet with Gabbard on Monday, told reporters that the two had a “good meeting,” but that he has more questions for her in the coming days. 

“I always liked her,” Graham said, though he noted that she was opposed to the order to kill Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020. 

“I’m going to ask her some questions about her thinking,” Graham said. “I’m going to give her a chance to have a few days to put it all down.” 

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