COMMON DEFENSE CALLS ON SENATORS TO OPPOSE UNFIT NOMINEES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2025
Confirming Gabbard, Kennedy, and Patel would open the door to egregious abuse of power, transforming vital institutions into tools for revenge, misinformation, and political games.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nominations of Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Kash Patel for key positions in the Trump administration are a direct threat to American democracy and public welfare. Common Defense, on behalf of its members and veterans strongly opposes their nominations and calls upon senators to duly exercise their “advice and consent” role to reject these nominees.
Tulsi Gabbard, nominated for Director of National Intelligence, is dangerously unfit. Her 2017 visit with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and her skepticism about U.S. foreign policy, and her propagation of Russian disinformation show she's more likely to serve foreign interests than protect America's. Her lack of formal intelligence experience and her past comments that appear to echo Russian propaganda demonstrate she is not suited for a role that requires unbiased oversight of 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. Her statements during the hearings about not advocating for Edward Snowden's pardon, while attempting to distance herself from past criticisms, do little to alleviate concerns about her judgment and objectivity in such a sensitive position.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination for Health and Human Services Secretary is an outright assault on public health. Kennedy’s history of spreading dangerous anti-vaccine myths and his refusal during hearings to acknowledge basic scientific consensus on vaccines are not just misguided; they're reckless. Kennedy’s pandering over health policy during his senate hearing indicates a readiness to prioritize political loyalty over science, a dangerous precedent for someone tasked with leading health policy for the nation.
Kash Patel, proposed to lead the FBI, one of the nation’s chief law enforcement officers, is a clear danger to the rule of law. Patel has expressed intentions to reshape the bureau in a manner that seems more aligned with political retribution than with law enforcement's mission. His past statements about turning the FBI headquarters into a "museum of the 'deep state'" and his promotion of QAnon conspiracy theories indicate a troubling bias toward using the FBI as a tool for personal and political vendettas rather than for upholding justice.
Given these considerations, opposing the confirmations of Gabbard, Kennedy, and Patel is necessary to maintain the integrity, independence, and professionalism of these critical government roles. Confirming Gabbard, Kennedy, and Patel would open the door to egregious abuse of power, transforming vital institutions into tools for revenge, misinformation, and political games. Their nominations must be opposed vehemently to safeguard our national security, public health, and the rule of law. They are not just unfit; they are a direct threat to what these positions stand for.
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Common Defense Civic Engagement is a grassroots, veteran-led organization (501c4) that was founded in 2016. We empower veterans to stand up for our communities against the rising tide of racism, hate, and violence, to organize against the entrenched powers that have rigged our economy, and to champion an equitable and representative democracy, where “liberty and justice” truly is for all. For too long, politicians from both political parties have attempted to use veterans as unwilling political props, and Common Defense serves as a home for veterans to organize and speak for themselves and support the candidates who truly share our values.