More than 250 military veterans have signed a letter supporting President-elect Trump's nomination of former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence.
The letter fiercely defends Gabbard's “lifelong dedication to service” and slams critics who question her loyalty.
“We are appalled by this baseless attack that questions Tulsi's loyalty to our great nation. For more than two decades and across multiple combat deployments, Tulsi has risked her life to protect the safety, security, and freedom of the American people. ,” the letter says. “These attacks are an insult not only to her, but to all of our veterans who have served our country.”
The support comes as Gabbard faces intense scrutiny over her past comments about Moscow and her 2017 visit with former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
Gabbard, a Democrat who served in the House of Representatives for eight years, has made statements sympathetic to Russia regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, echoed by Russian state news outlets praising her nomination.
In the Middle East, Gabbard visited Syria in 2017 and said Assad was not an enemy of the United States, although she later labeled him a “brutal dictator.” The comments have gained renewed attention in recent days as the Syrian government has collapsed and Assad has been exiled by rebels.
The letter comes days after a group of about 100 former national security officials released their own letter about Gabbard, calling on the Senate to “carefully investigate” the former congresswoman. . They expressed concerns about her level of experience, her past statements, her meetings with President Assad, and her “publicly questioning U.S. intelligence reports.”
“Her sympathies for dictators like Vladimir Putin and Assad raise questions about her judgment and suitability,” last week's letter said.
In a letter Monday, the veterans fired back against “so-called 'experts' in Washington” who have criticized Gabbard, calling their attacks “baseless lies and slander.”
“Unable and unwilling to challenge the substance of her views, her critics resort to baseless lies and slander, exposing the weakness of their arguments,” the letter said. It says “I am doing it.” “Tulsi's patriotism, forged on the battlefield, reflects the values and aspirations of the American people far more than the failed policies of the so-called 'experts' in Washington who have been on this issue for far too long. ”
In a letter, the veterans praised Trump for choosing Gabbard as his nominee, saying, “As Director of National Intelligence, she has been a fearless reformer and true patriot, ensuring that the intelligence community serves the American people.” We will ensure that we serve and protect our country.”
“We are deeply grateful to President Trump for appointing Tulsi Gabbard to this important role and are proud to stand beside her, a leader whose courage and conviction we know firsthand. “I am a warrior who cannot buy votes and cannot compromise my integrity,” the letter said. “We are honored to call her one of our own.”
The letter was signed by former Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who briefly served in the first Trump administration. Representatives Brian Mast (R-Fla.) and Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) and Congressman-elect Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) also signed the letter.
