Susan Collins backs Tulsi Gabbard for DNI in major boost for Trump pick ahead of Tuesday vote

Moderate Sen.Susan Collins backed Tulsi Gabbard’s bid to become director of national intelligence ahead of a key committee vote Tuesday, in a significant boost for the former Hawaii rep’s prospects.Collins (R-Maine), 72, who isn’t afraid to buck the GOP, having voted against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month, praised Gabbard’s push to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.“After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence,” Collins said in a statement Monday.“The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, however, has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms.

Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size.”The Maine Republican helped write the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which established the DNI position in the aftermath of the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks to enhance coordination between the 18 federal intelligence agencies.

Gabbard, 43, sat before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week and was greeted by a handful of skeptical Republicans who were leery of her past record on key national security flashpoints.Collins previously sounded skeptical of Gabbard and grilled her during the hearing last week about whether she ever met with any known members of Hezbollah, noting the “speculation in the press.”“No,” Gabbards shot back at the time, calling it an “absurd accusation.”Prior to the hearing, Collins also seemed unconvinced by Gabbard’s change of heart on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702, which gives the feds broad powers to conduct surveillance on non-Americans living overseas.

As a congresswoman, Gabbard had been a fierce critic of Section 702, amid concerns that it could result in the incidental collection of intel on US citizens in violation of the Fourth Amendment against surveillance without a warrant.But during the hearing, Gabb...