Tulsi Gabbard slated for confirmation vote after key committee triumph

President Donald Trump is on the brink of securing his 14th Cabinet member with the impending confirmation of former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as his director of national intelligence (DNI). Gabbard’s final Senate confirmation vote is scheduled to take place after midnight in the early hours of Wednesday, once the 30 hours of post-cloture debate on her nomination expires.

Typically, the debate period between the cloture motion and the final vote is minimized through a “time agreement” between Republicans and Democrats. However, given the contentious nature of Gabbard’s nomination and ongoing frustrations with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its government audit, it is unlikely that such an agreement will be reached.

Despite the challenges, Gabbard is expected to be confirmed, as she has garnered support from hesitant Republicans who previously voted against Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, necessitating Vice President JD Vance to break the tie in the Senate. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), typically considered moderate members of the conference, have both expressed their support for Gabbard after voting against Hegseth.

Collins, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, voted in favor of advancing Gabbard’s nomination to the full Senate floor. Additionally, key senators such as Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) have also thrown their support behind Gabbard, with Young initially expressing uncertainty before ultimately backing her after discussions with Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Vice President Vance.

Throughout her confirmation hearing, Gabbard faced concerns regarding her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her stance on FISA Section 702, and her support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. However, her responses to these issues, coupled with the persuasive support of Cotton and Vance, helped allay these worries.

As Gabbard gears up for her final confirmation vote, the political landscape is abuzz with anticipation, with her confirmation poised to make history as the first Democratic nominee to join President Trump’s Cabinet. The successful confirmation of Gabbard would mark a significant milestone for the administration and could potentially reshape the national intelligence landscape. Stay tuned for the latest updates on this developing story.