Tulsi Gabbard Claimed Criticism Of Kamala Harris Landed Her In An FBI Watchlist, But It Was For a Different Reason

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's nominee for director of National Intelligence, was a subject of scrutiny by the federal agency responsible for protecting airline flights last year.

And even though she claimed it was retaliation for criticism of then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, the decision was triggered by her participation in a meeting at the Vatican organized by a European businessman who appeared on an FBI watch list, two senior US officials told the New York Times. A person close to Gabbard said she had no prior relationship with the businessman and was unaware of his status.

TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection automatically screen international travelers for ties to suspected terrorists and there is no indication any wrongdoing by Gabbard, the report detailed, adding that it remains unclear why the businessman was on the list. Still, the trip could add ammunition to her detractors looking to prevent her from being confirmed by the Senate.

Republicans have pushed back on the matter: Alexa Henning, a spokeswoman for Gabbard, called the security measures "documented proof" of Democrats weaponizing the government against conservatives. Moreover, GOP Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer, the chairs of the Judiciary and Oversight committees, respectively, launched investigations on the matter and demanded formal answers from TSA.

Gabbard was on the Quiet Skies list for less than two weeks and automatically was removed after a set number of flights, according to the two officials. While an air marshal raised concerns that she was unfairly monitored, the officials insisted that her screening was unrelated to her political statements and purely coincidental.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, has taken positions on the Syrian civil war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine that diverge from mainstream U.S. policy. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she endorsed one of the country's main reasons for launching the attack.

During her 2017 visit to Syria, Gabbard held a clandestine meeting with President Bashar al-Assad, its details still a secret. The NYT report added that U.S. intelligence later intercepted a phone call between Hezbollah members mentioning her and discussing a meeting with someone they referred to as the "boss," or "big guy." It is unclear who they were referring to, but U.S. officials assumed it could be a senior Hezbollah official or a Lebanese official with strong ties to the militant group. Gabbard denied meeting Hezbollah representatives, and her travel companions backed her claim.

Her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to revisit the 2017 trip. However, it was her 2024 visit to Italy that led to her temporary placement in the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Quiet Skies program, which subjects travelers to additional flight security.