Republican members of the Senate are seeking to hold a public confirmation hearing for Tulsi Gabbard, who President Donald Trump nominated to serve as director of national intelligence.
Politico reported on Monday that Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, is being asked by Trump allies in the Senate to hold a public hearing.
The Senate Intelligence Committee usually holds closed-door hearings and votes, apart from some hearings that are made public, according to Politico.
The private votes also apply to presidential nominations.
Some of Gabbard’s allies believe that particular members of the panel would vote differently if their decisions were made public, Politico reported.
Since the panel is composed of nine Republicans and eight Democrats, even a single Republican flip could stop her confirmation process from advancing to the Senate floor.
Politico noted that it is unclear whether Cotton can change the panel rules to allow for a public hearing and vote.
For the confirmation of CIA Director John Ratcliffe, the Senate Intelligence Committee only released the vote tally, revealing that 14 members voted for the nominee, while three opposed him.
Leading conservative lawmakers and pundits, meanwhile, called for Gabbard’s vote to be made public.
Should the Senate Intelligence Committee’s vote on Tulsi Gabbard be public?
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk said on social media platform X that keeping the vote secret is “outrageous and wrong.”
“I’m told that the vote for Tulsi Gabbard might be done privately in a SCIF – with the vote tallies kept secret from the American people,” he wrote.
“The American people deserve to know how THEIR Senators vote on Trump’s nominees!”
I’m told that the vote for Tulsi Gabbard might be done privately in a SCIF – with the vote tallies kept secret from the American people.
This is outrageous and wrong.
The American people deserve to know how THEIR Senators vote on Trump’s nominees!
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 28, 2025
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee agreed on X that the vote “needs to be public.”
“Her nomination isn’t classified,” he wrote. “The vote on her nomination shouldn’t be treated as if it were.”
The @TulsiGabbard vote needs to be public
Her nomination isn’t classified
The vote on her nomination shouldn’t be treated as if it were https://t.co/Rd4RfFxWmF
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) January 28, 2025
Voting for Tulsi Gabbard in secret is outrageous.
It’s a complete slap in the face of the American people.
If Republicans want to go down this path, they are going to enrage the voters who only gave them the majority to help Trump.
It’s like they want to lose in midterms.…
— Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) January 28, 2025
Politico observed that public pressure helped with the confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose nomination advanced past the Senate floor with the help of a tie-breaking vote from Vice President J.D. Vance.
At least some Republican members of the Senate are hesitant to vote for Gabbard.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins said in an interview with The Hill that she intends to question Gabbard about her position on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the federal government to spy on foreign targets without a warrant.
Gabbard has criticized the program in the past.
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