Tulsi Gabbard

Announced as Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard, set to be nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as Director of National Intelligence, has a history of aligning with authoritarian regimes and promoting conspiracy theories. According to the New York Times, “[her] selection to be the director of national intelligence has raised alarms among national security officials, not only because of her lack of experience in intelligence but also because she has embraced a worldview that mirrors disinformation straight out of the Kremlin’s playbook.” Gabbard’s interview with podcaster Lex Fridmen highlights her support for purging experts across the federal government: “But people of courage who know what they’re up against to really seriously clean house across the federal government and the corruption and rot that is so deeply entrenched in order to truly be effective.” A former Democratic congresswoman for Hawaii, Gabbard joined the Republican party in 2024 and endorsed Trump in the presidential race. She helped prepare Trump to debate Kamala Harris.

In 2017, while a member of Congress, Gabbard traveled to Syria and met with Bashar al-Assad, who has claimed “absolute immunity” as Syria’s head of state to evade a French arrest warrant for his alleged complicity in war crimes. During that same visit, Gabbard also accused the U.S. of supporting terrorists for backing the Syrian rebels opposing Assad. She later questioned evidence that Assad’s forces used chemical weapons in attacks that killed civilians and has made statements that mirrored Russian state narratives. She has also parroted an Assad and Russian talking point that there are no moderate rebels in Syria. Assad was most recently reelected in 2021 with a vote share of 95.1% in an election that was widely considered a sham.

Gabbard has also parroted other Kremlin talking points. In 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Gabbard claimed the war was provoked by the U.S. and NATO ignoring Russia’s “security concerns.” She also amplified debunked claims that the U.S. was involved in biolabs in Ukraine developing dangerous pathogens.

Gabbard was a featured speaker at the “Rage Against the War Machine” rally, a purportedly anti-war event that featured, per the Global Influence Operations Report, “several apologists for Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.” She became a regular guest on Tucker Carlson’s Fox show, where she criticized U.S. sanctions against Russia. Her appearances were widely circulated by Russian state media; she has also been labeled a challenger of “Washington’s war machine.”

Russian state media has openly praised her nomination, calling her a “comrade” and emphasizing her advocacy for improved relations with Moscow. Critics have called her selection a “dangerous [choice] that would undermine national security and that signaled a deference to Mr. Putin’s worldview.”. If confirmed, Gabbard would oversee 18 intelligence agencies and organizations, including the CIA and NSA, with the responsibility of producing classified daily intelligence briefings to the president.

WHAT PROJECT 2025 SAYS ABOUT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY

THE POLICIES

– Restructure staffing in the Intelligence Community (IC); Trump has said he would clean out the “corrupt actors” in the national security apparatus; it is possible he could replace IC staff with allies from outside of the IC or from IC personnel loyal to Trump.Halt any Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) program or operation “inconsistent with the President’s agenda.”

– Expand distribution of IC intelligence to more areas of government, military, and in some cases, private corporations or the public. Additionally, “[adopting] an ‘obligation to share’ policy process, including the capacity for ‘write to release’ intelligence products,” a change that could remove key safeguards and expert oversight of intelligence products and could increase the risk of unreliable or unsubstantiated intelligence going to the White House.

PRECEDING CONTEXT FOR PROJECT 2025

– Trump reportedly disclosed classified material to foreign actors and allegedly retained highly classified information.

– Trump publicly undermined U.S. intelligence agencies and U.S. intelligence reporting, and reportedly “contradicted US intelligence agencies and said there had been no reason for Russia to meddle in the vote.”

– In an ABC News interview, Trump said “I think I’d take it-” when asked if he would accept information on a political opponent, if offered by a foreign country.

– Trump placed “loyalists” and partisans in U.S. intelligence entities, including at DNI, CIA, DOD, National Security Administration, and National Security Council-Intel, and seemingly purged intelligence officials who did not prioritize loyalty to Trump.

HOW ARE PROJECT 2025’S POLICIES POSSIBLE?

– Since most of these powers fall within the President’s foreign affairs and national security powers, the President could receive a great deal of deference in the courts.

– Furthermore, internal agency guidance documents could achieve much of what Project 2025 proposes. These documents may not be subject to judicial review and may not even be public information.