Former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for the position of director of national intelligence. This surprising choice has sparked controversy due to Gabbard’s lack of intelligence experience and past statements that some view as amplifying Russian propaganda.

Gabbard, who recently joined the Republican Party, would oversee 18 intelligence agencies and manage a budget exceeding $70 billion if confirmed. Her nomination has drawn criticism from some quarters, including Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who stated, “Not only is she ill-prepared and unqualified, but she traffics in conspiracy theories and cozies up to dictators like Bashar-al Assad and Vladimir Putin.”

A Unique Political Career

A military veteran, Gabbard has had a unique political career. She was the youngest person elected to Hawaii’s State Legislature and the first Hindu to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Initially championing liberal causes, she ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022.

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Controversial Remarks on Syria and Ukraine

Gabbard has made controversial remarks about Syria and Ukraine. In 2019, she faced criticism for meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and expressing skepticism about the Syrian regime’s involvement in a chemical weapons attack. Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, she suggested the war could have been prevented if the U.S. and its allies had recognized Russia’s “legitimate security concerns” about Ukraine joining NATO.

Her nomination is being viewed positively by Russian state media, with one Rossiya 1 correspondent noting that it “does not bode well for Kyiv.”

Read more at BBC News