Gabbard said Russian President Vladimir Putin started the war in Ukraine, although she did not respond directly to a question about how she viewed Russia as a threat to the US.
Republican Senator Jerry Moran told Gabbard he wanted to ensure that “in no way does Russia get a pass in either your mind or your heart or in any policy recommendation you would make or not make.”
Gabbard responded that she was “offended by that question,” and said, “If confirmed, no country, group or individual will get a pass.”
While in the House of Representatives, Gabbard introduced legislation that would have dropped charges against Snowden, a former government contractor who leaked thousands of National Security Agency documents and then fled to Russia.
Gabbard repeatedly declined to answer when asked if she considered Snowden a traitor. “I am focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again,” she said in response to Republican James Lankford.
Her refusal to respond to the same question from Democrat Michael Bennett ignited a harsh response from the lawmaker, who said, “That is not a hard question to answer when the stakes are this high.”
Many Republicans, including Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, have harshly criticised Snowden as a liar and traitor and said he should “rot in jail”.
At the hearing, Gabbard said repeatedly that Snowden broke the law, but declined to give a yes or no answer when Warner asked her if she still considered him a hero.
“The fact is, he also, even as he broke the law, released information that exposed egregious, illegal and unconstitutional programs that are happening within our government that led to serious reforms,” Gabbard said.
Snowden, who has remained in Russia, commented sarcastically on the hearing. “Tell them I harmed national security and the sweet, soft feelings of staff. In DC, that’s what passes for the pledge of allegiance,” he posted on X.com.
Trump’s announcement of Gabbard in November sent shockwaves through the national security establishment, adding to concerns that the sprawling intelligence community will become politicized under a second Trump administration.
