Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard’s views on former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and his theft of more than a million classified documents mushroomed

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was “surprised” that director of national intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard refused to call former NSA contractor Edward Snowden a “traitor” after being repeatedly pressed on the question at a Thursday hearing.

After being pressed by senators from both parties to call Edward Snowden a traitor, Tulsi Gabbard repeatedly refused during her confirmation hearing on Thursday morning. Why it matters: Gabbard's past comments and legislation defending Snowden have threatened her confirmation to be President Trump's director of national intelligence.