President Donald Trump's choice to direct U.S. intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, faces a Senate panel that is divided over its position on her nomination in a confirmation hearing on Thursday.

Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, grilled Tulsi Gabbard on her previous remarks praising Edward Snowden.

Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump ’s nominee for director of national intelligence, was repeatedly asked to explain why she sought a pardon for Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who leaked thousands of classified documents revealing the scope of the nation’s surveillance programs.

Tulsi Gabbard repeatedly refused to call National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden a traitor during her confirmation hearing on Thursday, which some Republicans are privately admitting could threaten her chances of advancing out of committee.

Facing more than a dozen questions about her views on NSA leaker Edward Snowden, Tulsi Gabbard held her ground at her Senate confirmation hearing.

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.

Tulsi Gabbard faced tough questions Thursday about past comments about Russia, Syria and government leaker Edward Snowden during a Senate confirmation hearing on her nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence service.

Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence — faces skepticism over past comments from Democrats and Republicans