Ex-officials call for closed hearings on Trump's intel director nominee Gabbard

• Her most infamous controversy is a 2017 trip to Syria, when she met Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. She subsequently declared that Assad — the Russia-and Iran-backed leader accused of using chemical weapons against his own civilians — was "not the enemy."

Driving the news: In a letter addressed to incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and current Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the officials said they were "alarmed" by Trump's nomination of Gabbard.

• The former officials urged Thune and Schumer to hold closed-door hearings to review "all information available to the U.S. government" regarding Gabbard.
• "Several of Ms. Gabbard's past actions call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus," the letter stated.
• The letter highlighted both Gabbard's trip to Syria as well as her statements about debunked claims about Ukraine.

• "Her sympathy for dictators like Vladimir Putin and Assad raises questions about her judgement and fitness," the letter added.

The big picture: As director of national intelligence, Gabbard would be tasked with overseeing 18 agencies, including the CIA and FBI.

• The former officials added that if confirmed, Gabbard would be the "least experienced" person to hold the position since the role was created, noting her lack of executive branch and managerial experience.

Go deeper: What to know about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for national intelligence director