What concerns are being raised about Tulsi Gabbard during her confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence?

Tulsi Gabbard faces bipartisan scrutiny regarding several controversial past statements and actions. Senators have expressed concerns about her comments sympathetic to Russia, including echoing Russian propaganda about U.S.-funded bioweapons labs in Ukraine and criticizing Ukrainian President Zelensky as a corrupt autocrat. Additional concerns involve her 2017 meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and her questioning whether he used chemical weapons despite official conclusions confirming he had. Gabbard's repeated praise of Edward Snowden also drew criticism, as she refused to call him a traitor despite acknowledging he broke the law, creating doubts about her suitability to lead U.S. intelligence services.