'Can’t see them doing that': Senate GOP leader suggests Gabbard confirmation in doubt

29 January

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), who President Donald Trump's pick to lead the United States' 18 intelligence agencies, may not make it past the first hurdle in her confirmation process,, according to the top Senate Republican.

On Wednesday, Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio tweeted that Gabbard — whose confirmation hearing in the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday — may not even get to have her nomination considered by the full Senate given her slim chances of making it out of the Intelligence Committee. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told Desiderio that Gabbard might not currently have the votes to get a "favorable recommendation" from the committee. The South Dakota Republican added she might not even make it out with a neutral "no recommendation."

“I can’t see them doing that if they vote her down," Thune said.

According to CBS News, Gabbard will need all nine Republicans on the 17- member committee to vote for her confirmation if she hopes to make it to the full Senate, assuming the eight Intelligence Committee Democrats vote no. That could prove difficult, as Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who has already voted against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's confirmation, sits on the committee.

Collins — who is running for reelection in 2026 — has not said how she plans to vote, only telling CBS that she does "not make a decision on nominees until after the hearing is concluded." But Maine's senior U.S. senator said she'll use the hearing to seek "clarity" on Gabbard's position on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Gabbard has previously called for its repeal but has since reversed that stance.

"My prior concerns about FISA were based on insufficient protections for civil liberties, particularly regarding the FBI's misuse of warrantless search powers on American citizens. Significant FISA reforms have been enacted since my time in Congress to address these issues," Gabbard said. "If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans' Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people."

Gabbard will also likely field questions regarding her meeting with now-deposed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has been credibly accused of killing hundreds of thousands of civilians. Her confirmation hearing comes on the same day that FBI Director-designate Kash Patel is due to have his own confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy answered questions from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Wednesday.

Click here to read CBS' full report.

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