Ocasio-Cortez: 'Gabbard nomination is a pro-war nomination globally'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) questioned President-elect Trump’s decision to elevate former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (R) to serve as his director of national intelligence (DNI), arguing the selection is a “pro-war nomination globally.”

“I actually think almost more than Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard's appointment is devastating,” Ocasio-Cortez said Thursday in an interview on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut.”

“And Tulsi Gabbard's nomination, as much as she says that she's an anti-war person, she's not,” the New York lawmaker said. “She supports very pro-war individuals… and let's be very clear — a Tulsi Gabbard nomination is a pro-war nomination globally. Point blank, period.”

Her comments came a day after Trump tapped Gabbard — a former Democrat turned Republican — for the top intelligence position. She will likely have an uphill battle when it comes to confirmation through the Senate.

The president-elect, however, has shown openness to sidestepping the process by relying on recess appointments.

Gabbard served four terms in the House before she ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in the 2020 Democratic primary. She exited the party in 2022 registering as an independent, and officially joined the GOP ranks last month.

The former lawmaker, who has long been critical of the Biden administration’s stance regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, endorsed Trump in August and helped him prepare for his debate against Vice President Harris.

Her selection caught many in the national security realm by surprise. Some have expressed concern over her past controversial comments while others argued she does not have the requisite experience.

“She’s never managed anything larger than a congressional office or maybe like a brigade. That’s a lot different than trying to orchestrate and coordinate this wild consultation of intel elements that we call the U.S. intelligence community," said Larry Pfeiffer, a former senior director of the White House Situation Room. "I think she isn’t really prepared for that."

Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who served under the Obama administration, argued that some skepticism of intelligence can be "good."

“I’m going to surprise you a little bit. I don’t think that it is an absolute prerequisite that the Director of National Intelligence be someone of the intelligence community," he said. "I also believe that on occasion it’s a good thing to be skeptical of the intelligence that we’re provided."

During her interview on MSNBC, Ocasio-Cortez also criticized Trump’s nomination of environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to helm the Department of Health and Human Services.

“You have a baby, and anywhere in the world, I mean, protecting against polio, against measles, against very serious communicable diseases that, I mean, we would be talking about going back to the, what, the 1700s, 1800s,” she said.

The Hill has reached out to Trump’s transition team for comment.