Republican Senator James Lankford (OK) is pumping the brakes on confirming Tulsi Gabbard as Democrats baselessly attempt to paint the Trump nominee as a "Russian asset."

Gabbard, a critic of U.S. foreign intervention and the Deep State, was chosen by Trump to lead the intelligence community and is one of his most controversial Cabinet picks.

Republican pushes back on Gabbard

Criticism of Gabbard has focused on her controversial foreign policy record. The U.S. Army veteran, who served in Iraq, has often criticized America's involvement in "forever wars" and regime change abroad.

During her time in Congress, she met with Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad, an ally of Russia, and questioned whether Assad used chemical weapons on his people.

Despite her controversial views, there is no evidence that Gabbard is a Russian asset - but it has not stopped Democrats like Hillary Clinton from attempting to sow doubts about Gabbard's patriotism.

After Trump chose her to lead America's intelligence community, Democrats are once again suggesting Gabbard poses a risk to national security, without evidence.

“I think she’s compromised,” Senator Tammy Duckworth (Il.), an Iraq veteran, told CNN. “The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check"

But it isn't just Democrats who are casting aspersions. In an interview with CNN's State of the Union, Senator James Lankford said he has "lots of questions" about Gabbard's past travels and statements.

“She met with Bashar Assad. We’ll want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was as a member of Congress," he said.

Targeted by Deep State

The Biden administration briefly placed Gabbard on the "no-fly" list this year after an algorithm flagged her travel patterns. The former Democrat joined the Republican party this year while campaigning for Trump - who, like Gabbard, has been targeted by the intelligence community.

During his first presidential term, Trump was accused of "Russian collusion" in a baseless narrative fueled by the FBI.

In 2020, 51 former intelligence agents helped elect Trump's rival, Joe Biden, by falsely discounting evidence of his family's influence peddling as "Russian disinformation."

While Lankford is sharing skepticism of Gabbard, other Republican senators have defended her against the left's attacks.

“It’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly. There’s no evidence that she’s a asset of another country,” Republican Senator Eric Schmitt (MO) said on NBC.