Tulsi Gabbard insisted Thursday she’s no one’s “puppet” and pushed back against senators’ accusations that she supports foreign dictators and a famous U.S. whistleblower who fled to Russia. Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s choice to become director of national intelligence,

Tulsi Gabbard fought back against what she called “smears,” declaring she is nobody’s “puppet” before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's pick to serve as the director of national intelligence, used her opening statement to criticize what she viewed as the "weaponization and politicization of the intelligence community.