1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the recent nomination of Tulsi Gabbard for the role of Director of National Intelligence (DNI). While her military service is commendable, I believe her past actions and statements make her a problematic choice for this critical position. Ms. Gabbard has been involved in several controversies that raise questions about her judgment and alignment with U.S. national security interests: In 2017, Ms. Gabbard traveled to Syria and held a meeting with Assad, who has been widely condemned for committing atrocities against his own citizens, including the use of chemical weapons. By engaging directly with a dictator without U.S. government endorsement, she undermined official U.S. foreign policy and gave Assad a degree of legitimacy​. While skepticism of military interventions is understandable, Ms. Gabbard has taken extreme anti-interventionist positions, often aligning with adversarial narratives. She criticized U.S. support for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, which raises concerns about her ability to uphold policies that protect American interests and counter threats from hostile foreign powers​. Throughout her career, Gabbard has received support from controversial figures and groups, including praise from Russian state media during her 2020 presidential campaign. Her positions have led to allegations that foreign adversaries see her as sympathetic to their agendas, which could pose a conflict in leading an intelligence community that must remain vigilant against foreign influence​. The Director of National Intelligence must be someone who is trusted to uphold the integrity and security of our nation without bias or conflicts of interest. Ms. Gabbard’s record of controversial actions and associations makes her an unsuitable candidate for this vital role. I urge you to oppose her nomination and to support a candidate with a clearer commitment to defending our national interests. Thank you for your consideration.