Tulsi Gabbard fields questioning from Sen. Martin Heinrich on Bashar al-Assad during her Senate confirmation hearing to be Director of National Intelligence on Thursday.
Donald Trump’s pick to oversee 18 intelligence agencies with a $100 billion spy budget is facing renewed scrutiny over an unannounced trip to Syria in 2017 where she met with the now-deposed dictator twice.
The new government of Syria has demanded that the aggressor country of russia extradite former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who fled the country in
Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria's new strongman since December 8, has been appointed as the country's interim president. He has been tasked with forming a "temporary" legislative council, whose mandate will last throughout the "transition period." This phase's duration was not specified.
Syrian leader al-Sharaa reportedly also demands reparations as Moscow delegation seeks to secure strategic power bases.
Senators remain concerned about Tulsi Gabbard’s foreign contacts. In addition to meeting in 2017 with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad—who recently fled his country amid a rebel insurgency—Gabbard mig
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said discussions with a Qatari delegation in Damascus Thursday included reconstruction in the war-torn country, during the first visit by a head of state since Bashar al-Assad's ouster.
Qatar's Emir visits Syria, welcomed by interim President Sharaa, signaling support for reconstruction and diplomatic ties.
Russia deployed troops to Syria in 2015 to support Assad regime's brutal crackdown against anti-government forces.
DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard provided additional details on her meeting with then-Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017 while appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Among the topics likely to come up at the hearing: her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her friendly positions toward Russia and her push to drop charges against Edward Snowden.