Nikki Haley denounced President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
She accused the former Democratic congresswoman turned Trump supporter spreading Russian propaganda and calling her a “Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer.”
The former South Carolina Republican Party governor gave her scathing review of the 78-year-old president-elect’s nominations for his Cabinet on her SiriusXM radio show “Nikki Haley Live.”
“Everyone loves her now to say she’s a Republican now, but I’ve always said, ‘let’s look at what they’ve said, what their actions are,’” Haley said of Gabbard.
Haley blasted the controversial nominee for going to Syria in 2017 to meet with dictator Bashar al-Assad for what Haley called a “photo op” while committing atrocities against his own people.
Haley called it disgusting that Gabbard questioned whether it was the Syrian leader who was behind the chemical attacks in his country. She recalled giving a speech at the United Nations during Trump’s first term about attacks on children.
“To say that Assad was not behind that, literally everything she said about that was Russian talking points, every bit of it,” Haley said. “That was Russian propaganda.”
Former ambassador to the UN raised alarm when Trump nominated Tulsi Gabbard for director of National Intelligence, accusing the congresswoman of being a ‘Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer’
She also criticized Gabbard for blaming NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine more than two years ago.
“The Russians and the Chinese repeated her talking points and her interviews on Russian and Chinese television,” Haley said.
Haley pointed out that Gabbard opposed the end of the Iranian nuclear deal and sanctions on Iran.
She accused her of wanting to limit Trump’s powers to take action against the Middle East country while he is in Congress and pushing for defense budget cuts.
The Director of National Intelligence is the president’s top intelligence adviser and has authority over the U.S. spy budget and which U.S. secrets are released.
“This is a job for an honest broker with no strong policy biases,” Haley declared.
“She defended Russia. She has defended Syria. She has defended Iran, and she has defended China,” Haley said.
“Now she has not challenged any of these views. None of them. She hasn’t taken one back yet,” the former UN ambassador continued in her blistering attack on Gabbard.
Haley said DNI is no place for a “Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer.”
“Are we comfortable with such a person at the top of our national security services?”
Haley’s criticism of Gabbard for once puts her in line with progressives like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who also warned that appointing the former Hawaii congresswoman to the role is dangerous.
But Gabbard wasn’t the only Trump nominee Haley had “major problems” with.
Haley blasted Gabbard (pictured) for her visit to Syria to meet with dictator Bashar al-Assad and accused her of spreading Russian propaganda
Haley also condemned the appointment of Robert Kennedy Jr. (left) to lead HHS
The former Republican presidential candidate also focused on Trump’s targeting of Robert Kennedy Jr. named his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, but she didn’t even focus on his controversial anti-vaccination stance.
Haley tagged RJK Jr. as a “liberal Democrat” and claimed he would oversee 25 percent of the federal budget, while noting widespread criticism that he has no background in health care.
Haley pointed out that RFK Jr. has supported presidential candidates in the past, including Al Gore, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
“He said last year that his and Trump’s positions ‘couldn’t be further apart,’” Haley said.
She also called him “strongly pro-choice” and claimed he wants more oversight of the pharmaceutical sector.
“I understand that he wants to raise awareness about chemicals in food and vaccinations, but let him be a health advisor,” she argued.
“Why do we put someone who is so ideologically opposed to the positions of Donald Trump and the positions of the Republicans, why do we want to do that?” she asked.
Haley warned ‘“We don’t know when he takes charge of an agency what decisions he’ll make behind the scenes, and the Senate needs to ask him the tough questions.”
The former governor also noted that there will be many problems if Trump’s pick for Attorney General Matt Gaetz is confirmed.
It comes after the former Florida congressman faced a House Ethics Committee investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with a minor and illegal drug use. A battle is brewing over whether it will release its findings.
“The AG is the chief law enforcement officer,” she said. “He has the right to defend himself, but it’s difficult to get confirmation when you have allegations of illegal drug use and sex parties with minors.”
She said the same goes for Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, who is accused of sexual assault.
“He’ll have to answer that,” she said.