Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed as Director of National Intelligence: A Win for Armenian-American Advocacy

Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard addressing the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) parliament during her visit in 2017

In a historic and controversial move, the U.S. Senate confirmed former Democratic congresswoman and Fox News contributor Tulsi Gabbard as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under President Donald Trump. The Senate vote, which passed 52-48, saw Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joining Democrats in opposition.

Gabbard’s confirmation was met with strong resistance from Senate Democrats, with some questioning her past criticisms of the intelligence community. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) argued that Gabbard’s prior statements and actions demonstrated a lack of trust in the very institution she is now set to lead. Slotkin specifically cited Gabbard’s 2017 visit to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a move that raised concerns among U.S. foreign policy experts.

Despite this opposition, key Republican senators, including Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), ultimately backed Gabbard’s nomination, citing her independent thinking and promise to bring oversight to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). "While I continue to have concerns about certain positions she has previously taken, I appreciate her commitment to rein in the outsized scope of the agency while still enabling ODNI to continue its essential function in upholding national security," Murkowski wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).

What This Means for the Armenian-American Community

Gabbard’s confirmation has sparked a big interest among Armenian-Americans. A longtime advocate for Armenia and Artsakh, Gabbard has repeatedly called for greater U.S. involvement in Armenian affairs, a stance that has resonated deeply within the Armenian diaspora.

During her time in Congress, Gabbard was an active member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, where she consistently supported measures to recognize the Armenian Genocide and to push back against Azerbaijan’s aggression in the South Caucasus. Her 2017 visit to Artsakh further cemented her reputation as an ally of the Armenian people, drawing praise from Armenian-American leaders and advocacy groups.

Her confirmation as DNI raises hopes that Armenian issues will receive greater attention at the highest levels of U.S. intelligence. While the DNI role is primarily focused on overseeing intelligence agencies, Gabbard’s influence could help shape intelligence assessments that impact U.S. policy in the South Caucasus.

Armenian-American political activists see Gabbard’s confirmation as an opportunity to bolster Armenia’s strategic standing in U.S. foreign policy. With continued threats from Azerbaijan and Turkey, many hope that her leadership will result in increased intelligence monitoring of the region, a stronger U.S. stance against aggression, and greater diplomatic support for Armenia’s sovereignty.

While critics remain wary of her past foreign policy positions, Armenian-American leaders are cautiously optimistic. They see her appointment as a chance to push for stronger protections for Armenia and Artsakh, particularly in an era of growing geopolitical uncertainty.

ANCA Calls for Investigation into U.S. Failures in Artsakh

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) congratulated former U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on her confirmation today as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and called upon her to launch a comprehensive investigation into U.S. intelligence, policy, and foreign aid failures that contributed to Azerbaijan’s genocidal ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s indigenous Armenian population.

“The ANCA welcomes Director Gabbard’s confirmation today and urges her to ensure that the United States fully reckons with our role—whether through acts of omission or commission—in aiding, abetting, and emboldening Azerbaijan’s genocidal campaign against Artsakh’s Armenian population,” stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

In its congratulatory letter to Gabbard, ANCA emphasized the importance of an official intelligence review into how U.S. policies—such as military assistance to Azerbaijan—facilitated its war crimes. “As you know, Americans of Armenian heritage in Hawai’i and across the United States have long supported your leadership on atrocities prevention, human rights, and other issues of special concern to our community and coalition partners. We remain deeply grateful for your support on U.S. remembrance of the Armenian Genocide and, of course, the democratic aspirations of the indigenous Armenian Christians of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh),” stated Hamparian.

Additionally, Hamparian’s letter noted, “We stand ready to assist with an investigation into U.S. failings of omission and commission that aided, abetted, or emboldened Azerbaijan to pursue its genocidal designs against the peaceful Armenian civilian population of Artsakh.”

Gabbard’s advocacy on Armenian issues has been unwavering. As a U.S. Representative, she co-sponsored the Armenian Genocide Resolution and traveled to Artsakh in 2017, where she witnessed firsthand the resilience of its citizens in the face of Azerbaijani aggression. In 2020, she condemned Turkey’s role in inciting the war against Artsakh, stating that “Turkey [was] sending Al-Qaeda-associated proxies to wipe out Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian population.”

The ANCA continues to call upon the Trump administration to enforce Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, which prohibits U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, and to impose Magnitsky sanctions on Azerbaijani leaders responsible for war crimes. Additionally, ANCA is urging the U.S. government to press Azerbaijan for the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war and to carve out an exception in the current freeze on foreign aid funding to provide targeted assistance for Artsakh’s genocide survivors.

Looking Ahead

Gabbard’s confirmation marks a pivotal moment not only for U.S. intelligence policy but also for Armenian-American advocacy. As she takes the helm at ODNI, all eyes will be on whether her past commitments to Armenian issues translate into meaningful action within the U.S. intelligence apparatus.

For Armenian-Americans, this moment represents both an opportunity and a challenge—to remain engaged, to advocate for their interests, and to ensure that their voices continue to be heard in Washington’s ever-evolving political landscape.