Three of President Donald Trump’s most controversial cabinet picks faced a series of questions on Thursday during their confirmation hearings.

Three of President Donald Trump’s most controversial nominees faced sharp questions in the Senate during hearings Thursday from Democrats as well as several Republican senators in what amounted to the most direct skepticism from GOP senators over Trump’s nominees to date.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to be Director of National Intelligence, refused to call Edward Snowden a traitor at her confirmation hearing.

In 2020, then-Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard introduced legislation calling on the federal government to drop all charges against Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency contractor who in 2013 revealed the existence of the bulk collection of American phone records by the NSA before fleeing to Russia.

Gabbard started again as Bennet insisted, “Yes or no? Is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America?”

Tulsi Gabbard refused to call Edward Snowden a traitor despite repeated pressure from senators. Her stance may jeopardise her bid to become Donald Trump's Director of National Intelligence.

Gabbard is a rare Washington politician who defended the NSA whistleblower. But she has also changed positions and even political parties.

Tulsi Gabbard refuses to call Edward Snowden a ‘traitor’ during confirmation hearing - Republicans and Democrats grill Trump’s intelligence nominee over her past defense of the Assad regime

Former Democrat and military veteran Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence was grilled about her past remarks supporting government whistleblower Edward Snowden as well as her relationships with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syria's former dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Tulsi Gabbard appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday as part of her confirmation process to serve as director of national intelligence.