Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine announced Monday that she plans to back Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for director of national intelligence.
Gabbard’s chances of confirmation looked shaky for a while, as GOP members of the Senate Intelligence Committee grilled her over her controversial stances, including support for whistleblower Edward Snowden and her remarks critical of the intelligence community.
Collins, known as a potential swing vote, explained that her worries were put to rest after a detailed conversation with Gabbard.
“After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the director of national intelligence,” Collins shared in a statement.
Collins revealed their discussion included Gabbard’s intention to cut down the size and scale of the DNI office, which contributed to her decision.
“The Office of the Director of National Intelligence … has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size,” she added.
The Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to vote on Gabbard’s confirmation as soon as Tuesday. If the vote clears the committee, her appointment will go before the Senate.
“I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security,” Collins concluded.
This isn’t the first time Collins has made waves with her votes on Trump administration nominees.
She previously opposed Pete Hegseth’s appointment to lead the Department of Defense, although Hegseth ultimately secured confirmation in a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the Senate confirmed Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, to helm the Energy Department.
Wright’s confirmation passed with a 59-38 vote, with an Independent and several Democrats crossing the aisle in support.
Wright’s background impressed lawmakers from both sides during his confirmation hearings. His experience ranges across various energy sectors, giving him both a practical and academic perspective.
“He’s a scientist who has invested his life around energy. He is indeed an unrestrained enthusiast for fossil fuels in almost every regard, but he studied nuclear,” Colorado Democrat Senator John Hickenlooper noted during deliberations.
The senator went on to highlight Wright’s early career in solar energy and later ventures in wind power.
Now confirmed, Wright faces the significant challenge of leading a department responsible not only for energy research and federal energy loans but also for managing the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.
On another front, the Senate geared up Monday for a final vote on Pam Bondi’s nomination to head the Department of Justice. The procedural vote passed 52-46, limiting further debate and setting the stage for an expected confirmation vote early Wednesday.
Bondi, a former Florida attorney general with ties to Trump’s legal team, encountered a tough confirmation process filled with pointed questions from Senate Democrats.
Despite the scrutiny, no GOP members have publicly opposed her nomination. The Judiciary Committee advanced Bondi along partisan lines last week with a 12-10 vote.
Just take a peek at Gabbard’s military history. That is all one needs to see she is a hero to military veterans and active duty. And she has had the sense to see what the demonRAT communist party has done to this country and took decisive action by leaving the communists behind.
What has gone wrong here? Appointing people who actually know something about the areas they are managing? Heresy for govment.