Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
Per Warner's office, the committee has yet to receive prehearing questions from Gabbard or an ethics disclosure. They also haven't gotten a copy of her FBI background check.
However, a spokesperson for Gabbard and the Trump transition team pushed back on this. According to the transition, the paperwork that was due on Dec. 18 was submitted, the FBI background check has been done, and an additional round of paperwork is due on Thursday and will be finished by then.
The FBI did not respond immediately to Fox News Digital's question about whether the background check had been provided to the Intel Committee.
President-elect Trump picked Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
The transition team also noted that Gabbard has a top-secret security clearance from her Army service, meaning her background check was expedited.
The spokesperson for Gabbard asserted that Warner was directing Democratic members of the committee not to set up meetings with her until he had done so, drawing out her meeting process. According to them, Warner's office was emailed on Nov. 27 but did not reply until Dec 29.
"After the terrorist attacks on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, it's sad to see Sen. Warner and Democrats playing politics with Americans' safety and our national security by stonewalling Lt. Col. Gabbard's nomination, who is willing to meet with every member who will meet with her as this process continues," said transition spokesperson Alexa Henning.
"It is vital the Senate confirms President-elect Trump's national security nominees swiftly, which in the past has been a bipartisan effort. We are working in lockstep with Chairman [Tom] Cotton and look forward to Lt. Col. Gabbard's hearing before Inauguration Day."
