The US Senate has confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence in a narrow 52-48 vote, installing a controversial figure who has previously promoted Russian narratives about Ukraine into America’s top intelligence position.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned the confirmation would “endanger our national security and our intelligence operations throughout the country and the world,” CNN reports.
The confirmation raises immediate concerns for Ukraine’s security interests, as Gabbard will oversee crucial US intelligence operations supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression. In her new role, she will control intelligence sharing with Ukraine and assessments of Russian military capabilities, disinformation campaigns, and strategic intentions.
Gabbard’s critical stance regarding Ukraine’s NATO chances echoes statements by Pentagon chief Pete Hetseth in Brussels today that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not a “realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement” between Russia and Ukraine and comes as a cold shower for Ukraine, where NATO membership has remained a key national objective, seen as vital for its security and resistance against Russian aggression.
BACKGROUND: Tulsi Gabbard’s Ukraine positions and intelligence role
The Senate confirmation of Tulsi Gabbard as America’s new intelligence chief raises significant concerns for Ukraine’s security interests, given her documented history of positions that align with Russian narratives about the war in Ukraine and NATO expansion.
Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion, Gabbard explicitly advocated for appeasing Russian security demands, arguing that the US should prevent war by guaranteeing Ukraine would never join NATO. “This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns,” she posted on Twitter at the start of Russia’s invasion in 2022, AP reported.
Following Russia’s invasion, Gabbard promoted Russian disinformation narratives about US-funded biological research facilities in Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal reports these claims were widely debunked by international fact-checkers and US intelligence officials, who identified them as part of Russia’s information warfare campaign against Ukraine.
ISW: Russia recycles disproven bio and chem weapons allegations against Kyiv to undermine Western support
While Gabbard did condemn Russia’s invasion as “reprehensible” in April 2022, she simultaneously began drawing parallels between US support for Ukraine and America’s involvement in Afghanistan, The Hill reports. She consistently frames US military aid to Ukraine as risking “another forever war,” a narrative that echoes Russian propaganda aimed at weakening Western support for Ukraine.
As Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard will now oversee all 18 US intelligence agencies, including those responsible for:
- Assessing Russian military capabilities and intentions
- Monitoring Russian disinformation campaigns
- Analyzing intelligence shared with Ukraine
- Evaluating threats to NATO allies
- Coordinating intelligence cooperation with Ukraine
During her confirmation hearing, Gabbard faced questions from several Republicans about her views on Russian aggression, US government surveillance and National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, CNN reports. When questioned about Snowden, she stated he had “broken the law” but declined to say whether his actions amounted to treason.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for US-Ukraine intelligence cooperation, which has proven vital for:
- Identifying and countering Russian military movements
- Exposing and disrupting Russian disinformation operations
- Coordinating international security assistance
- Maintaining Western unity in support of Ukraine
Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on Gabbard’s confirmation, but Western intelligence experts express concern about potential impacts on intelligence-sharing arrangements that have been crucial for Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
