Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's nominee to serve as the director of national intelligence, answered a question about why she repeated "Russian talking points" about the U.S. supporting al-Qaeda, while opposing U.

Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Mark Warner expressed concerns over how Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's pick to be the director of national intelligence, would perform the job.

Gabbard replied that she had only meant to highlight the “egregiously illegal and unconstitutional programs” that Snowden had exposed—specifically NSA programs that intercepted communications of U.S. citizens—and that his leaks had led to “serious reforms.”

Gabbard was questioned by Republicans and Democrats alike on her views of Snowden and whether she believes he was a traitor. She declined to say she believed he was a traitor, repeating that she felt he had broken the law and reiterating a point that she has made in the past, that he exposed practices that have resulted in the reform of 702.

Most Democrats and even some Republicans seemed uneasy with Tulsi Gabbard and her answers to their questions during her confirmation hearing with the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Tulsi Gabbard faced her first test as a nominee to be the next director of national intelligence during her confirmation hearing on Thursday before a key Senate panel, but it’s unclear if her testimony was enough to consolidate the support she needs to advance out of the committee onto the Senate floor.

President Trump’s choice to serve as the director of national intelligence faced tough questions from senators in both parties.

Critics blasted the meeting as legitimizing Assad four years after he used lethal chemical weapons on Syrian civilians. "It was common knowledge that Assad was gassing the civilian population,

NPR speaks with Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, about the confirmation hearing for Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to lead national intelligence.

The former congresswoman’s refusal to call Edward Snowden a traitor reignited GOP angst about her qualifications as director of national intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's embattled pick for national intelligence director, was grilled about whether she might clash with intelligence officers during her Senate confirmation hearing.