DEEPER STATE

Key Senators Push Tulsi Gabbard Closer to Confirmation

After Elon Musk bashed him as a “deep state puppet,” Sen. Todd Young said Tuesday he now supports Gabbard.

Tulsi Gabbard won the support Tuesday of two key GOP holdouts to become President Donald Trump’s top intelligence official. Sens. Todd Young and Jerry Moran, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, threw their support behind her ahead of a key committee vote Tuesday afternoon. Young, of Indiana, had expressed strong concerns about Gabbard’s qualifications during her confirmation hearing, saying it was “notable” that the former Democratic congresswoman didn’t acknowledge whistleblower Edward Snowden “caused tremendous damage to national security, including to military, defense and intelligence programs.” Elon Musk immediately pounced on Young, calling him a “deep state puppet” in a since-deleted tweet. “I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard’s engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership,” Young, a former Marine Corp intelligence officer, said. Young’s decision was first reported by Politico. His and Moran’s backing could be a game-changer for the former progressive lawmaker’s confirmation to become Trump’s director of national intelligence, after moderate Sen. Susan Collins announced her support of Gabbard on Monday. The Intelligence Committee is slated to vote Tuesday afternoon on whether to advance Gabbard’s nomination to the Senate floor.

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Juliegrace BrufkeSenior Political Correspondent

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