Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as intelligence head despite fears of pro-Russia stance

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who has been publicly questioned over her affinity for foreign dictators and promoting conspiracy theories, has been confirmed as director of national intelligence by the US Senate.

The Senate voted 52 to 48, with just one Republican – the senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky – voting against her confirmation.

Gabbard, 43, faced a tense confirmation hearing last month that saw her respond to questions from both Republicans and Democrats over her past comments sympathetic to Russia and defense of the government of the former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who she visited in 2017 while he was under US sanction.

During the hearing, Gabbard refused to call the whistleblower Edward Snowden a “traitor”, partially recanted her views that Russia was provoked into invading Ukraine, and insisted she had “no love” for Assad.

Republicans have since rallied behind Gabbard despite initial doubts over the 43-year-old former Democrat’s lack of significant intelligence experience.

Lisa Murkowski, a Republican senator from Alaska and a potential swing vote, said on Monday that she would vote to confirm Gabbard, noting that despite “concerns about certain positions she has previously taken” she believed Gabbard “brings independent thinking and necessary oversight to her new role”.

Gabbard, a former presidential candidate and military veteran who served in Iraq, has ruthlessly criticised the US intelligence community she will now lead.

As director of national intelligence, she will oversee 18 intelligence agencies – including the CIA and FBI – that employ more than 70,000 people engaged in collating and safeguarding the country’s most sensitive secrets.

After Gabbard’s confirmation vote, the Senate immediately moved to a procedural vote on Robert F Kennedy Jr’s nomination for health and human services secretary.