NewsBite

Serious concerns over spy boss

Concern within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance about Donald Trump’s choice of Tulsi Gabbard as his national intelligence supremo, giving her control over the US’s 18 main intelligence agencies, is legitimate. As The Wall Street Journal reported, Ms Gabbard, 43, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who defected to the Republicans this year, “has often seemed to embrace Washington’s adversaries and questioned key American intelligence judgments, raising alarm among veteran intelligence officials and the wider national security establishment”. Ms Gabbard, the Journal said, had “blamed NATO for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and echoed a Kremlin claim that Ukraine hosted US-funded labs researching dangerous pathogens”. The Times noted that Ms Gabbard was known as “Russia’s girlfriend”, while the Telegraph reported Ms Gabbard met twice with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a close Kremlin ally, after dismissing charges he used chemical weapons against his own people. Ms Gabbard also argued for dropping charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and pardoning US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, both of whom were accused of leaking highly sensitive US secrets. After granting him asylum, Putin awarded Mr Snowden Russian citizenship in 2022.

Politico, the US political journal, has quoted Western intelligence sources’ concerns that Ms Gabbard’s appointment “could impact intelligence-sharing”, the key function of the Five Eyes arrangement.

If confirmed by the US Senate, Ms Gabbard will hold a key post (created amid the post-9/11 crisis). It includes briefing the president on the most sensitive US secrets, exercising authority over the $US100bn ($155bn) spy budget, and holding sway over which secrets to declassify. Ms Gabbard, a US Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who served in Iraq, has little intelligence experience. John Bolton, national security adviser during Mr Trump’s first term, said: “Given the Russian propaganda that she has espoused, I think she’s a serious threat to our national security … he (Mr Trump) is sending a signal that we have lost our mind when it comes to collecting intelligence.”

It remains to be seen whether the US Senate, even with the Republicans in the majority, approves her nomination. Some of Mr Trump’s choices have won widespread approval; Ms Gabbard is among three who have raised eyebrows even among Trump supporters. The others include Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth as defence secretary, and proposed attorney-general Matt Gaetz, who has been under investigation for allegations he had sex with a 17-year-old girl.

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/editorials/serious-concerns-over-spy-boss/news-story/340df7d5b7a8829cd78a7e196de67a11