Tulsi Gabbard fought back against what she called “smears,” declaring she is nobody’s “puppet” before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Gabbard had her confirmation hearing on Thursday as senators questioned her on her alliances and controversies.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, has faced tough questions from lawmakers during a fiery confirmation hearing Thursday.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) announced Thursday that he supports former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s (R-Hawaii) nomination to serve as director of national intelligence,

Most Democrats and even some Republicans seemed uneasy with Tulsi Gabbard and her answers to their questions during her confirmation hearing with the Senate Intelligence Committee.

President Trump’s choice to serve as the director of national intelligence faced tough questions from senators in both parties.

If confirmed, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard would become the youngest-ever DNI. Sources tell ABC News the vote on her nomination is expected to be close.

Senators questioned Gabbard about views seen as echoing Russia's justification of its war, criticism of US involvement in Syria and a 2017 meeting with Bashar al-Assad.

Gabbard replied that she had only meant to highlight the “egregiously illegal and unconstitutional programs” that Snowden had exposed—specifically NSA programs that intercepted communications of U.S. citizens—and that his leaks had led to “serious reforms.”

EXCLUSIVE: Dozens of top former intelligence officials are urging members of the Senate to confirm President Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, saying she will “begin undoing the gross politicization that has come to characterize intelligence bureaucracies,

He cited Republicans' success pushing through another of Trump's more controversial nominees as reason to be bullish.

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,