India, Feb. 13 -- The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence with a vote of 52-48 on Wednesday. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote "no." He later issued a statement explaining his decision.

In his statement, McConnell criticized Gabbard's "alarming lapses in judgment." He pointed to her controversial statements regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, which many perceived as sympathetic toward Russia, as well as her previous support for NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

The 82-year-old Kentucky senator also referenced a 2023 post on X (formerly Twitter) in which Gabbard warned about the "remilitarization" of Japan, a key U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific region.

"The nation should n...