Washington D.C., Dec 11 (FN Bureau) Indian-American nominee for FBI top slot Kash Patel and former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), are meeting senators on Capitol Hill this week to secure support for their nominations. Both face critical confirmation hearings in the coming weeks. Kash Patel’s meetings focused on his vision for reforming the FBI, with a strong emphasis on transparency and accountability. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued a robust statement following his meeting with Patel. “Transparency ought to be the North Star of government,” Grassley said. “As a former congressional investigator, Kash understands that cooperation with Congress is not optional, and whistleblower protection is essential”, he added according to New India Abroad. Grassley’s endorsement of Patel aligns with Trump’s confidence in his nominee. “He’s going to do what he thinks is right,” Trump said in an interview, emphasising Patel’s commitment to fighting corruption. Other senators also rallied behind Patel.
Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said in a tweet, “Kash Patel will create much-needed transparency at the FBI… and have public servants work on behalf of the American people!” Patel echoed these sentiments after meeting Ernst, writing, “The FBI needs courageous leadership to implement reform, and Sen. Ernst is that partner.”Senator Shelley Moore Capito appreciated her meeting with Patel saying, “We discussed the current state of the department, his leadership vision, and our shared priorities of keeping this country safe”. Patel’s meetings also included discussions on reforming the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) with Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) expressed optimism about Patel’s leadership, praising his “strong commitment to law and order.” Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for DNI has drawn mixed reactions, particularly due to her foreign policy stances, including her controversial 2017 visit to Syria and comments about President Bashar al-Assad. “There’s just a lot of questions that need to be answered,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), while emphasizing that Gabbard needs to provide more specifics on her positions.