Tulsi Gabbard, then a Hawaii congresswoman and Democratic hopeful for president, appeared on Joe Rogan’s popular podcast and made an impassioned case for pardoning Edward Snowden. The former U.S. intelligence contractor,

Tulsi Gabbard is expected to face tough questions about her past comments about Russia, Syria and a key government surveillance program as lawmakers vet her to lead the nation’s intelligence service.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, is set to face tough scrutiny from lawmakers on Thursday over her past remarks on Russia and her controversial 2017 visit with Syria’s now-deposed leader.

Tulsi Gabbard’s past statements on Syria, Russia, Ukraine and warrantless spying have all given Republican senators pause. But for some lawmakers another issue looms just as large: Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who released reams of classified data on American surveillance programs in 2013 and then fled to Russia.

Sign up for Trump’s Return, a newsletter featuring coverage of the second Trump presidency.

Ms. Gabbard grew up in a secretive offshoot of the Hare Krishna movement and has made a dizzying journey from conservative to liberal darling to Trump ally.

Tulsi Gabbard is expected to face questions on her 2017 visit to Syria at her confirmation hearing for director of national intelligence Thursday.

Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence disregarded U.S. assessments of chemical weapons attacks and instead looked to contested academic research.

Tulsi Gabbard is expected to face tough questions about her past comments about Russia, Syria and a key government surveillance program as lawmakers vet her to lead the nation’s intelligence service

Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence had a particularly controversial trip to the Middle East that even Hezbollah officials flagged.

Not all Republican senators have committed to voting in support of her appointment as director of national intelligence.