During my sixteen years in Congress, I fought consistently for peace, accountability, and the protection of our nation’s core values. I understand the gravity of the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI)—a role essential to the security of our nation, where the person in charge must evaluate and interpret military intelligence that informs decisions affecting the lives of millions. That is why I fully support Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in the Trump administration.

This critical position requires a person who understands the urgency of truth and the severe consequences of sending America’s sons and daughters into battle based on false or manipulated intelligence.

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Congresswoman Gabbard is uniquely qualified for this role. As a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, she has served our nation with distinction since 2002, earning Top Secret clearance through the trust of the Department of Defense, her executive officers, and peers.

Her service as a military officer is complemented by an exemplary Congressional career. During her eight years in Congress, Tulsi served on committees relevant to her appointment, including Armed Services, Intelligence and Special Operations, Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, and Financial Services. These roles gave her a front-row seat to pressing national security challenges and shaped her ability to evaluate intelligence with the discernment and objectivity that the DNI position demands.

There are few individuals as prepared, as experienced, and as committed to the national interest as Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard. Her leadership has consistently demonstrated sound judgment, ethical standards, and an unwavering commitment to the Constitution of the United States. She has always put the interests of the American people above partisan politics or the agendas of the military contractors.

In Washington, no one, no matter how dedicated to America and our people, can be spared political smears. Tulsi Gabbard is under attack by an anonymous individual who stole a confidential ethics file and then leaked it to the media, with the obvious intention to attempt to damage her nomination. The theft of a confidential ethics file is a blatant violation of House rules, compounded by leaking it to the media. This is a violation so serious that it could result in criminal prosecution, civil suits, and even expulsion from Congress.

It is vital to understand that the Ethics Committee’s review of Congresswoman Gabbard’s travel was thorough and that her travel was fully lawful and ethical. Her travel was conducted in strict adherence to her responsibilities under Article I, Section 6 of the U.S. Constitution, which protects the rights of Members of Congress to carry out their duties without interference from the executive or judicial branches.

The release of her confidential Ethics Committee file is not just an attack on her; it is an attack on the constitutional rights of all Members of Congress.

The real purpose behind the theft and leaking of an ethics file is clear: to politicize and distort the process of vetting a highly qualified candidate for a critical national security position.

Congresswoman Gabbard has faced this kind of baseless attack throughout her career, but she has never wavered in her commitment to the American people. The truth is simple: The Ethics Committee cleared her and any attempt to manipulate or distort this fact is just noise.

Now, more than ever, we must move beyond the endless political battles and focus on what truly matters: The security of our nation and the future of the American people. The position of DNI is one of immense responsibility—entrusted with overseeing 18 intelligence agencies and ensuring the flow of accurate, impartial intelligence. Congresswoman Gabbard has the integrity, the experience, and the moral clarity to lead our intelligence community with honesty and transparency.

Her leadership will restore accountability to our intelligence agencies, ensuring that they serve the interests of the American people—not political factions or military-industrial interests. The challenges of the 21st century demand leaders who prioritize the security of our nation above all else, and Congresswoman Gabbard has demonstrated time and again that she is that leader.

The creation of the DNI position in 2004 was a direct response to the intelligence failures that led to 9/11 and the subsequent Iraq War—a war that was driven by political manipulation of intelligence, costing the lives of over 4,400 American soldiers and causing the deaths of more than a million innocent Iraqis.

This tragic chapter in our history was not caused by a lack of information, but by the conscious distortion of intelligence to justify a predetermined political agenda. We cannot afford to repeat these mistakes. We need a Director of National Intelligence who will prioritize truth above politics—who will ensure that our intelligence community is both transparent and accountable.

I urge the Senate to act swiftly and decisively in confirming Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence. This is not just an opportunity to strengthen our national security—it is an opportunity to correct the failures of the past and ensure that our intelligence community operates in the service of the American people, with the truth at its core.

Dennis Kucinich
Former Member of Congress (1997–2013)

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