Trump Appoints Tulsi Gabbard as Intelligence Chief Amid Her Opposition to Ukraine Aid

US President-elect Donald Trump intends to appoint Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman and US Army Reserve officer, as Director of National Intelligence.

Gabbard, a vocal critic of aid to Ukraine, has positioned herself against US support for the country.

A former Democratic congresswoman, Gabbard has been warned against by Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, which stated in 2022 that she had been working for years to sway foreign audiences in favor of the Kremlin.

Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Gabbard has publicly argued that the US is responsible for Russia's military aggression, claiming Washington's "provocations" over the years instigated the war and that "the ruling elite in Washington wants to use Ukrainians to kill as many Russians as possible."

Additionally, Gabbard has spread misinformation, alleging the presence of weapons of mass destruction being developed in Ukrainian biolabs.

In his announcement, Trump praised Gabbard, saying she "has fought for our country and the freedoms of all Americans." 

"I feel I can make the most impact in these areas of national security and foreign policy, and work to bring about the changes that President Trump talks about," Gabbard said.

Republican Donald Trump won the US election and declared himself President on November 6, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated that after his election win on November 6, President-elect Donald Trump plans to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table on his first day in the White House.