Trump names Democrat Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has named former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard as director of the National Intelligence Service, which oversees U.S. intelligence agencies.

Trump said in a statement that he believes Tulsi will instill an indomitable spirit in intelligence, defend constitutional rights and secure peace through power.

Tulsi also said she fought for freedom with the United States for more than two decades, explaining why she had broad support from both parties as she also ran for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In addition to the National Intelligence Service, the Director of National Intelligence oversees a total of 18 intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Defense Intelligence Agency, and also attends cabinet meetings.

Gabbard represented Hawaii from 2013 to 2021 as a Democratic member of the federal parliament and was recorded as the first Samoan member of the federal legislature.

Born in 1981 in American Samoa, Gabbard was elected as the youngest female member of Hawaii's state legislature in 2002 at the age of 21. He joined the Army National Guard in 2003 and is currently serving as a reserve lieutenant colonel in Oklahoma.

Originally a member of the Democratic Party, he defected in 2022 due to policy differences and other reasons, and joined the Republican Party this year after serving as an independent.