Senator Todd Young reportedly announced on Tuesday that he will back Tulsi Gabbard, who is currently facing opposition as a candidate for the position of director of national intelligence in Donald Trump’s administration.
This will increase Gabbard’s prospects of being confirmed by a significant margin.
“American intelligence officers around the globe deserve our respect and support. I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard’s engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership,” Young said in a statement.
“I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer. Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi’s nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security.” he continued.
According to a person who is familiar with Young’s deliberations and who was granted anonymity to describe them, Young “engaged in extensive conversations” with Vice President JD Vance in order to seek written assurances about Gabbard’s perspective on whistleblowers.
This was done in response to a wave of political pressure from Trump allies to support Gabbard.
It is only a few hours before Young is scheduled to vote on Gabbard’s nomination within the Intelligence Committee, where any resistance from Republicans may potentially aid to thwart her confirmation.
Young made his statement just hours before the vote.
A person who is involved with Young’s deliberations stated that he also made it clear that he is against to awarding any kind of pardon to Edward Snowden, who is a leaker for the National Security Agency (NSA).
Snowden was a major topic of Gabbard’s appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week.
It was then that Young, a hardline internationalist in the vein of his former mentor, the late Senator Richard Lugar, harshly questioned Gabbard about her previous support of Snowden.
Young has doubted Trump’s judgment over how to interact with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and has stated that he does not support Trump’s bid for the 2020 presidential election.
Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas is the only Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee who has not yet disclosed his position on Gabbard, despite statements made by Senator Young today and Senator Susan Collins of Maine yesterday.
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