Andy Kim slams Gabbard’s judgment: 'Not someone I want in the situation room'

Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) slammed his former colleague and President Trump’s director of national intelligence pick, Tulsi Gabbard, saying she is not someone he would want in the situation room.

Kim joined CNN’s Jake Tapper for “The Lead” on Tuesday, where he weighed in on the Senate confirmation hearings for two of Trump’s controversial nominees, Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kim noted that he worked with Gabbard in the State Department and Pentagon and they both have “deep experience” working with the director of national intelligence. Tapper asked the New Jersey Democrat for his thoughts on Gabbard’s qualifications.

“She is not somebody I want in the situation room,” Kim replied.

Tapper asked why he thought that. Kim replied that Gabbard is someone who lacks judgment.

“She is somebody who has overwhelmingly shown just the lack of judgment in terms of pushing forward very much Russian propaganda-type statements, in terms of her attacks on the Ukrainian government, attacks on the United States,” Kim said.

Earlier Tuesday, the Senate Intelligence Committee advanced Gabbard’s nomination, putting her on track to be confirmed by the upper chamber. A few key senators on the committee threw support behind the former Democratic House member.

Since being nominated by Trump, questions and concerns about Gabbard’s history have popped up, including her 2017 meeting with then-Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Kim pointed to that meeting, noting that Assad was “clearly” an adversary to the United States.

“Those are the type of things that very much need you to question her judgment and her capacity to be the person who determines the president’s daily brief every single day and be the lead briefer for the president,” Kim said.

During the on-air interview, Kim, the son of a polio survivor, said he also had concerns about where Kennedy plans to take the Department of Health and Human Services.