Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, has faced tough questions from lawmakers during a fiery confirmation hearing Thursday.

Three of President Donald Trump’s most controversial cabinet picks faced a series of questions on Thursday during their confirmation hearings.

Three of President Donald Trump’s most controversial nominees faced sharp questions in the Senate during hearings Thursday from Democrats as well as several Republican senators in what amounted to the most direct skepticism from GOP senators over Trump’s nominees to date.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to be Director of National Intelligence, refused to call Edward Snowden a traitor at her confirmation hearing.

Gabbard's previous comments about Snowden, responsible for one of the most damaging leaks of sensitive U.S. intelligence, were the focal point of her hearing.

In 2020, then-Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard introduced legislation calling on the federal government to drop all charges against Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency contractor who in 2013 revealed the existence of the bulk collection of American phone records by the NSA before fleeing to Russia.

WASHINGTON: Former US Representative Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence, faced harsh criticism of her past defence of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and comments seen as supportive of Russia at a confirmation hearing on Thursday (Jan 30).

Gabbard started again as Bennet insisted, “Yes or no? Is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America?”

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's nominee to serve as the director of national intelligence, will testify Thursday morning at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The 43-year-old former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and combat veteran would oversee the nation's 18 spy agencies.

Gabbard’s attack strategy at her confirmation hearing Thursday didn’t garner the high praise from Republicans some other Trump nominees have gotten.

Tulsi Gabbard faced tough questions Thursday about past comments about Russia, Syria and government leaker Edward Snowden during a Senate confirmation hearing on her nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence service.