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Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard meet senators at Capitol Hill seeking support for their nominations
Gabbard faces a crucial test as she seeks to address Republican concerns about her foreign policy views, meanwhile Patel’s nomination for FBI has met with criticism.
Kash Ptel and Tulsi Gabbard. / Reuters
Indian-American FBI nominee Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard have held meetings with several senators at Capitol Hill this week as they vie for key leadership positions under President-elect Donald Trump.
Kash Patel, seeks support with a transparency-focused agenda. Meanwhile, Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), faces a crucial test as she seeks to address Republican concerns about her foreign policy views, including her controversial stance on Syria and Russia.
Grassley’s call for transparency in FBI leadership
Kash Patel’s meetings focused on his vision for reforming the FBI, with a strong emphasis on transparency and accountability. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued a robust statement following his meeting with Patel.
“Transparency ought to be the North Star of government,” Grassley said. “As a former congressional investigator, Kash understands that cooperation with Congress is not optional, and whistleblower protection is essential.”
Grassley’s endorsement of Patel aligns with Trump’s confidence in his nominee. “He’s going to do what he thinks is right,” Trump said in an interview, emphasizing Patel’s commitment to fighting corruption.
Other senators also rallied behind Patel. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said in a tweet, “Kash Patel will create much-needed transparency at the FBI… and have public servants work on behalf of the American people!”
Patel echoed these sentiments after meeting Ernst, writing, “The FBI needs courageous leadership to implement reform, and Sen. Ernst is that partner.”
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito appreciated her meeting with Patel saying, “We discussed the current state of the department, his leadership vision, and our shared priorities of keeping this country safe and particularly the critical work being done in Clarksburg, WV.”
Patel also met with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, to discuss FISA reforms. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) expressed enthusiasm about Patel’s leadership, calling it a “strong commitment to law and order.”
Gabbard addresses foreign policy concerns
Gabbard’s past comments and actions, such as a 2017 visit to Syria where she referred to then-President Bashar Assad as not being an “enemy” of the US, have drawn scrutiny from Senate Republicans.
“There’s just a lot of questions that need to be answered,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), while emphasizing that Gabbard needs to provide more specifics on her positions.
Support for Gabbard, however, came from Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who lauded her military service. “I believe she knows what she needs to do. She would be wonderful in that position,” Mullin said.
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) dismissed criticisms of Gabbard’s military background as “bulls—” and highlighted her existing Top Secret clearance.
Gabbard, addressing the concerns, emphasized her commitment to “peace through strength” and praised former President Trump’s leadership in reducing global conflicts.
Both Gabbard and Patel face tough confirmation battles but are leaning on their Capitol Hill engagements to build momentum ahead of Senate hearings.
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