Sen. Mark Kelly expresses concerns over Tulsi Gabbard’s judgment and credibility regarding her past actions and statements
Phoenix: Sen. Mark Kelly is not holding back his concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, who’s been picked by Trump for director of national intelligence. He thinks she has a tendency to spread misinformation.
During an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Kelly mentioned that he met Gabbard but was surprised she didn’t mention her controversial meeting with Assad was unplanned.
Sen. Shelley Capito Moore also chimed in, saying Gabbard told her she meant to visit Lebanon but ended up in Syria. Kelly questioned how credible that explanation was.
He said, “We talked about the trip to Syria. She didn’t tell me that part.” He finds it odd that someone would just end up somewhere unexpected.
Kelly is particularly worried about Gabbard’s downplaying of Assad’s use of chemical weapons against civilians, which was widely known at the time.
He pointed out that she relied on questionable experts to argue that Assad wasn’t using chemical weapons, which he found troubling.
As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Kelly’s concerns reflect a broader unease among Democrats regarding Gabbard’s nomination.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, ran for president in 2020 and was seen as one of the more conservative candidates in the party.
She still hasn’t submitted the necessary vetting documents to the Senate Ethics Committee.
Kelly is also involved in questioning another controversial nominee, Pete Hegseth, for secretary of Defense. He’s called for transparency regarding Hegseth’s FBI background report.
Hegseth has faced serious allegations, including sexual assault and financial mismanagement, which raises red flags for Kelly.
He emphasized the importance of having a qualified individual in the role of secretary of Defense, especially given the serious nature of the position.
On another note, Kelly mentioned he expects TikTok to be banned soon due to national security concerns, especially regarding data access and potential manipulation of the U.S. population.
He acknowledged the controversy but stressed the risks involved, particularly in times of conflict.
