Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as Trump's intel chief

• The final vote was 52-48, with former Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) the only GOP opponent.
• "When a nominee's record proves them unworthy of the highest public trust, and when their command of relevant policy falls short of the requirements of their office, the Senate should withhold its consent," McConnell said in a statement after the vote.

The big picture: Gabbard proved to be one of Trump's most controversial nominees, and the success of her confirmation was particularly questionable ahead of a committee vote earlier this month.

• The Senate Intelligence Committee approved Gabbard's nomination Feb. 4 in a razor-thin 9-8 party-line vote.
• That was after Intel Chair Tom Cotton made a concerted effort to get her through, even enlisting the help of former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) in swaying two of the panel's skeptical Republicans — Indiana's Todd Young and Maine's Susan Collins.

Zoom in: Young announced he would support Gabbard's confirmation in committee after outlining several commitments Gabbard made to win his vote.

• Those included promising not to seek a pardon for Edward Snowden, regularly updating the Senate Intel committee on her foreign travel and working with the panel to reauthorize Section 702 of FISA.
• Vice President Vance and billionaire Trump lieutenant Elon Musk also pressed Young to support Gabbard.

Zoom out: Gabbard faced tough questioning in her confirmation hearing, repeatedly refusing to call Snowden a traitor.

• Questions have also been raised about a trip she took to Syria, references she has made to conspiracy theories about U.S. bio labs in Ukraine and her history of questioning the findings of the U.S. intelligence community.
• Senators voted 52-46 on Monday to limit debate on Gabbard's nomination, paving the way for her confirmation.

Go deeper: How Tulsi Gabbard's nomination came roaring back to life

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.