Vice President Vance says US intelligence bureaucrats are ‘out of control’

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Vice President JD Vance said bureaucrats at U.S. intelligence services were “out of control” and he defended Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head those services, as the right person for the job.

“The bureaucrats at our intelligence services have gotten completely out of control,” Vance said in an interview with the CBS “Face the Nation” program broadcast Sunday. “They’ve been part of the weaponization of our political system, the weaponization of our justice system.

“We need to have good intelligence services who keep us safe, but part of that is restoring trust in those services, and we think Tulsi is the right person to do it.”

Gabbard’s selection in November to be director of national intelligence sent shock waves through the national security establishment, adding to concerns that the intelligence community would become increasingly politicised. 

The former Democratic congresswoman lacks significant intelligence experience and in the past had been critical of Trump. Her supporters say she has a healthy skepticism about foreign U.S. military involvement, in keeping with the America First policies of Trump.

Asked about the criticism of Gabbard, even from among conservative circles, Vance said he was confident Gabbard would be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Senate intelligence committee has scheduled a Jan. 30 hearing on her nomination.

“Two things that are important to know about Tulsi. First of all, she is a career military servant who’s had a classification at the highest levels for nearly two decades,” Vance said. “She has impeccable character, impeccable record of service, and she also is a person who I think is going to bring some trust back to the intelligence services.”

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Hugh Lawson)