Brennan on Gabbard’s DNI Nomination: The Intelligence Agencies Want to Have Confidence That the Person in Charge Is Qualified

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
PSAKI: “So let me just start with Tulsi Gabbard, because you served as the CIA director for four years. What would having her in charge or in the role of Director of National Intelligence mean for the intelligence apparatus of the U.S. government?”

BRENNAN: “I think there’s so much uncertainty about what Ms. Gabbard would bring to the job. As you pointed out, she has been an apologist for Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad. Many of her substantive comments, as well as previous actions have called into question whether or not she has a good understanding of global politics and the U.S.’s role there, but also she doesn’t have any experience in intelligence. She has never served in the intelligence community And The Director Of National Intelligence is somebody who sits on top of the 18 departments and agencies It needs to orchestrate these Agencies so that they collaborate So That They coordinate So That Are able To Pursue The national security priorities In an effective fashion So There need To Have some understanding Of Human Intelligence Technical Signals Intelligence Geospatial Intelligence Other Types Of Things And She Has None Of That Third, she doesn’t have the executive leadership experience of running a large organization and under The Director Of National Intelligence comes The national counterterrorism center Mm-hmm National Counterintelligence Center Counterproliferation Malign Influencer Center As Well So There’s Just A lot Of Responsibilities so that people The professionals are in these 18 intelligence agencies want to Have confidence In the person who sits on top of them And That Person By Law Is President Principal Intelligen Agency I think Going To Be Carrying Out The Duties In A Qualified Way But Also in a Apolitical Objective Fashion And I Think There Are Serious Questions that Have Been Raised About Miss Gabbard Ability to Do That Based On Her Lack Of Experience As Well as her Very Questionable Comments That She Has Made and Statements So Trafficking Conspiracy TheorIes.”