'Lies and smears': Tulsi Gabbard rails against Dem narrative she's Trump's and Putin's 'puppet'

Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard slammed the Democratic communicative that she is simply a puppet for U.S. and satellite leaders, saying she is loyal to lone God, the Constitution and her ain conscience successful her opening remarks earlier the Senate Intelligence Committee connected Thursday. 

"Before I close, I privation to pass the American radical who are watching astatine home. You whitethorn perceive lies and smears successful this proceeding that volition situation my loyalty to and my emotion for our country," Gabbard said.

"Those who reason my information connote that I americium loyal to thing oregon idiosyncratic different than God, my ain conscience and the Constitution of the United States. Accusing maine of being Trump's puppet, Putin's puppet, Assad's puppet, a guru's puppet, Modi's puppet, not recognizing the absurdity of simultaneously being the puppet of 5 antithetic puppet masters," she continued. 

Gabbard appeared earlier the Senate Intelligence Committee connected Thursday arsenic portion of her confirmation process to service arsenic manager of nationalist quality nether President Donald Trump's 2nd term. 

TENSION BUILDS AROUND TULSI GABBARD’S CONFIRMATION WITH KEY GOP SENATORS UNDECIDED

Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to beryllium Director of National Intelligence, arrives to attest during her confirmation proceeding earlier the Senate Intelligence Committee successful the Dirksen Senate Office Building connected Jan. 30, 2025 successful Washington, DC.  (Getty Images)

"The aforesaid maneuver was utilized against President Trump and failed," she continued of the accusations against her. 

"The American radical elected President Trump with a decisive triumph and mandate for change. The information is, what genuinely unsettles my governmental opponents, is I garbage to beryllium their puppet. I person nary emotion for Assad oregon Gaddafi oregon immoderate dictator. I conscionable hatred al-Qaeda. I hatred that we person leaders who cozy up to Islamist extremists, minimizing them to alleged rebels."

TRUMP APPOINTS TULSI GABBARD AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ‘FEARLESS SPIRIT’

Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to beryllium Director of National Intelligence, testifies during her confirmation proceeding earlier the Senate Intelligence Committee successful the Dirksen Senate Office Building connected January 30, 2025, successful Washington, DC.  (Getty Images)

Gabbard was elected to the U.S. House representing Hawaii during the 2012 predetermination cycle, serving arsenic a Democrat until 2021. She did not question re-election to that bureau aft throwing her chapeau successful the 2020 White House race. 

Gabbard near the Democratic Party successful 2022, registering arsenic an independent, earlier becoming a subordinate of the GOP this twelvemonth and offering her afloat endorsement of Trump amid his statesmanlike run earlier Trump named her his DNI pick. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ SPARKS BACKLASH FOR CLAIMING TULSI GABBARD IS A RUSSIAN ASSET

Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump arrives astatine an predetermination nighttime ticker enactment astatine the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, successful West Palm Beach, Fla. (Evan Vucci/AP)

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"If confirmed arsenic manager of nationalist intelligence, I volition proceed to unrecorded by the oath that I person sworn astatine slightest 8 times successful my life, some successful uniform, arsenic and arsenic a subordinate of Congress. I volition enactment and support our God-given freedoms enshrined successful the Constitution of the United States against each enemies, overseas and domestic. And I volition carnivore existent religion and allegiance to the same," she said.