Former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has cleared a significant hurdle in her bid to become Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Her nomination, put forth by President Donald Trump, has been approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee and will now proceed to a full Senate vote for confirmation.

Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), expressed his satisfaction with the committee's decision, stating his anticipation of collaborating with Gabbard to enhance national security and implement necessary reforms within the intelligence community.

The committee vote, which fell along party lines at 9-8, followed a last-minute endorsement from Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). Rounds voiced his confidence in Gabbard's ability to bring a new perspective to the national security team and intelligence apparatus.

Gabbard's confirmation process has involved scrutiny of her past interactions with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her stance on FISA Section 702, and her support for Edward Snowden. She addressed these topics during her confirmation hearing the previous week, seemingly satisfying some Republican committee members, including Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), who indicated their support for her advancement.

Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) had previously endorsed Gabbard following her revised position on Section 702, a controversial intelligence-gathering tool. However, other senators, like Todd Young (R-Ind.), remained undecided until shortly before the vote. Young ultimately expressed his support after engaging with Gabbard on various issues, emphasizing his commitment to national security.

Young's initial uncertainty drew criticism from Elon Musk, who labeled him a "deep state puppet" in a now-deleted social media post. However, a subsequent conversation between the two appeared to resolve the issue, with Musk later expressing confidence in Young's support for restoring power to the people.

This development comes as the Senate Finance Committee also advances the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS Secretary.