Tulsi Gabbard Appointed US Intelligence Chief

Donald Trump has appointed former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard as his US Intelligence Chief.

Donald Trump, who is set to return to the White House after his victory over Kamala Harris in the November 5 US presidential elections, has appointed former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard as his US Intelligence Chief. The 78-year-old leader has secured all seven swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Nevada.

On Wednesday evening (IST), Trump met President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House where Biden welcomed Trump and congratulated him following his victory, saying that he looks forward to a smooth transition.”Congratulations, looking forward to having a, like we said, smooth transition — do everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated, and what you need. And we’re going to get a chance to talk about some of that today,” Biden said in the meeting with Trump.

Tulsi Gabbard Appointed US Intelligence Chief

Who is Tulsi Gabbard?

With this announcement, Tulsi Gabbard will be the first Hindu Congresswomen who will sit atop the US spy agencies and will act as Trump’s intelligence advisor.

Tulsi Gabbard Appointed US Intelligence Chief

US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday picked former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). With this announcement, Tulsi Gabbard will be the first Hindu Congresswomen who will sit atop the US spy agencies and will act as Trump’s intelligence advisor.

On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said that Tulsi Gabbard is a “proud Republican” who can bring her “fearless spirit” into the intelligence community. “As a former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, she has broad support in both parties. She is now a proud Republican!” he added.

pic.twitter.com/4lCRczNHDo

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2024

Expressing gratitude for selecting her for the role, Gabbard on her official X handle said, “Thank you, Donald Trump, for the opportunity to serve as a member of your cabinet to defend the safety, security, and freedom of the American people. I look forward to getting to work.”

Thank you, @realDonaldTrump, for the opportunity to serve as a member of your cabinet to defend the safety, security and freedom of the American people. I look forward to getting to work. pic.twitter.com/YHhhzY0lNp

— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) November 13, 2024

TULSI GABBARD ON TERROR WATCHLIST

In August this year, Gabbard, during an interview with Fox News, claimed that the Biden administration had put her under a “secret terror watchlist” on July 23. She further said that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has placed her on a Quiet Skies Program watchlist “without giving any explanation.”

“I was subjected to very in-depth screening when I travel. By in-depth, I mean 30 to 45 minutes of going through that screening every time I would go to the airport to fly,” she said in the interview.

On September 4, Tulsi Gabbard posted a video on her official X handle, explaining how she learnt of her placement on a watchlist.

She claimed that on August 4, federal air marshal whistleblowers informed her she had been added to a “secret terror watchlist run by the TSA called Quiet Skies” on July 23.

In 2020, Gabbard made an attempt to secure a Democratic presidential nomination against Kamala Harris, accusing the party of not standing against the wars. However, she dropped her name from the race and eventually left the party in 2022, saying that it was controlled by an “elitist cabal of warmongers” and “woke” ideologues.

SERVED IN US ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

Gabbard has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, with deployments to Iraq and Kuwait. In 2005, she was awarded a Combat Medical Badge for her role in “combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III,” according to the Hawaii National Guard.

Unlike her predecessors, Gabbard has not held senior government roles, though she spent two years on the House Homeland Security Committee. The current director, Avril Haines, entered the role after years in top national security and intelligence positions, becoming the first woman to hold the office.

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