(DailyChive.com) – Former CIA Counterterrorism Director Bernard Hudson has thrown his support behind Army Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence (DNI). In an opinion piece published Friday in the National Review, Hudson praised Gabbard as an independent thinker who could help rebuild trust in the intelligence community.
“She has the experience, temperament, and professional integrity necessary for the American intelligence community to win and keep the trust of the American people,” Hudson wrote.
Gabbard’s résumé speaks for itself. She served in Hawaii’s state legislature and represented the state for four terms in Congress. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, she built a reputation as a thoughtful leader. Gabbard has also served in the U.S. Army for over 20 years, including a combat tour in Iraq. This dual perspective, as a politician and a soldier, gives her a unique understanding of both the costs and responsibilities of military action.
Hudson also highlighted her courage in addressing uncomfortable truths. He pointed to her criticism of the Obama administration in 2015 for avoiding the term “radical Islamic terrorism” amid ISIS’s rise. This willingness to challenge mainstream narratives, he argued, is a quality the DNI desperately needs.
Recently, Gabbard has faced accusations of being sympathetic to Russia, claims Hudson called baseless. He noted that she holds a top-secret clearance as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves. Critics also point to her 2017 meeting with Syrian leader Bashar Assad during the Syrian civil war. Hudson dismissed these criticisms as misleading, arguing that Gabbard was raising valid concerns about U.S. involvement in regime change.
Hudson emphasized the need for independent voices in intelligence, recalling past missteps like the flawed weapons of mass destruction intelligence before the Iraq War. He argued that Gabbard’s skepticism could help prevent similar errors today. This perspective aligns with broader debates in the intelligence community about the importance of challenging groupthink.
“The DNI must ask tough questions and challenge groupthink,” Hudson wrote. “Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination represents an opportunity for the intelligence community to improve and regain public trust.”
For Hudson, Gabbard’s nomination is about more than politics; it’s about ensuring the U.S. intelligence apparatus serves the country effectively and honestly.
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