tulsi gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence in his next administration has changed course on a controversial item after pressure from Republican senators.
Gabbard She revealed on Friday that she believes Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is “necessary to collect foreign intelligence information about non-U.S. persons abroad.”
She previously Opposed to reauthorization under FISA Section 702 While serving as a Democrat in the House of Representatives.
Gabbard announced a change in her position on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. (Getty Images)
“We have a very important responsibility to balance national security to keep the American people safe, while also protecting our constitutionally protected freedoms,” she said on the House floor in 2018. “Let's make this critical choice. Vote to keep our country safe. Vote to uphold our constitutional rights that so many fought and died to protect.”
“This unique capability cannot be duplicated and must be preserved to protect our nation while ensuring Americans’ civil liberties,” Gabbard said in her statement, which was provided by Trump’s transition spokesperson.
“My previous concerns about FISA were based on inadequate protections for civil liberties, particularly regarding the FBI’s abuse of warrantless search powers over American citizens. Significant FISA reforms have been enacted since my time in Congress to address these Issues. If appointed Director of National Intelligence, I will support Americans' Fourth Amendment rights while preserving vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people,” she said.
The change in Gabbard's beliefs on the key national security issue was first reported by Punchbull News.
This comes after several Republican senators explained to her the importance of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
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Trump appointed Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence. (Camille Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
“Tulsi Gabbard has assured me in our conversations that she supports Section 702 as recently amended and that she will follow the law and support its reauthorization as DNI,” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
A GOP aide shared that during his meeting with Gabbard, Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, emphasized how important the authority granted under Section 702 is, and how important it is for her to navigate it.
In a podcast appearance earlier this week, Lankford told… Wall Street Journal Kim Strassell said there are some issues “that people aren't talking about” regarding Trump's choices. One of them was Gabbard and her position on Section 702, he said.
“She's voted against so-called Authority 702 every time she's been in Congress and voted against it. Well, now you're going to be the spokesperson for Authority 702. It's only a legitimate question to say, 'Well, how are you going to do that? Handle this?' he asked.
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Cotton is Chairman of the Intelligence Committee. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Lankford noted that this is important for other Republican senators. He explained: “I don't hear anyone coming out publicly and saying: 'I strongly oppose' Trump's nominees.”
But “what I'm hearing is a lot of people are saying, 'Hey, I want to give a fair hearing. I want people to be able to answer questions publicly.'
While most GOP senators support FISA, some have been outspoken critics. “A vote to reauthorize FISA 702 without a warrant requirement is difficult to defend. And so are those who cast such votes — especially if they claim to care about the Fourth Amendment,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X Before most elections. Recently reinstated FISA license.
Another great critic, Sin. Rand Paul“With 702, the content and metadata of Americans’ communications will inevitably be swept up and held in government databases without a warrant,” the Kentucky Republican said in 2023. “Law enforcement agencies then access Americans’ communications without a warrant.”
Paul has opposed Section 702 over what he says are violations of civil liberties. (Kevin Deitch/Getty Images)
These Republicans may not be as happy with Gabbard's change of heart. However, there is no indication that this will hurt their support for her yet.
One Senate Republican source questioned Gabbard's new position, noting that she has been a “lifelong skeptic of intelligence gathering.” They noted that it was unlikely that she had “completely changed her mind.”
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A Senate Republican source confirmed to Fox News Digital that conservative senators are encouraged by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and his apparent desire to confirm Trump's nominees on the day he is sworn in.
They added that the group is eager to confirm all national security nominees on Trump's first day.
