Trump's pick to head U.S. intelligence has broken with its assessments several times since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly questioned Director of National Intelligence Nominee Tulsi Gabbard on her past meetings with Bashar Al-Assad and support of Edward Snowden.

Critics blasted the meeting as legitimizing Assad four years after he used lethal chemical weapons on Syrian civilians. "It was common knowledge that Assad was gassing the civilian population,