Senate Intelligence Committee will ask Gabbard 'lots of questions,' Lankford says

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said Sunday that the Senate Intelligence Committee will ask President-elect Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), “lots of questions.”

“We’ll have lots of questions,” Lankford said to CNN’s “State of the Union” anchor Dana Bash. “She met with [Syrian leader Bashar Assad]. We’ll wanna know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was, as a member of Congress. We’ll wanna get a chance to talk about past comments that she's made and get them into full context.”

Trump announced earlier this month that he selected Gabbard to be director of national intelligence in his next administration.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!” Trump said in a statement at the time.

The former House member from Hawaii has in the past shared content implying that the U.S. was involved in making biological weapons in Ukraine, perpetuating a Russian narrative.

“We're gonna go through hearings,” Lankford said Sunday of Gabbard’s situation. “We're gonna get everything out. We're gonna get facts and information and get the entire story. She is somebody who has been very outspoken. She's obviously a past member of the military. She's a veteran herself.”

“She's had the opportunity to be able to travel quite a bit around the world as a member of Congress to be able to interact with folks. And she's not been afraid to be able to speak out and to say, ‘Hey, I disagree on some areas,’” he added.

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