“She’s What the Russians Would Call a ‘Useful Idiot'”: Debate Erupts Over Tulsi Gabbard’s Intelligence Nomination

CNN viewers got a language lesson on Thursday as Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky used the Russian term policy durak—or “useful idiot”—to describe former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial pick to lead the nation’s intelligence agencies. Roginsky’s remark came during a heated exchange with Republican adviser Brad Todd, who attempted to downplay criticism of Gabbard’s nomination.

The debate stemmed from Trump’s decision to nominate Gabbard despite her history of controversial statements, including expressed skepticism about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s role in chemical attacks on his own citizens. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley added fuel to the fire earlier in the week, calling Gabbard’s stance “disgusting” on her Sirius XM radio show.

“She said she was skeptical that [Assad] was behind the chemical weapons attacks,” Haley told listeners. “Now this to me is disgusting.” Haley further accused Gabbard of repeating Russian propaganda, a claim echoed by intelligence insiders reportedly “reeling” at the idea of Gabbard overseeing the nation’s most sensitive security programs.

Defending Gabbard on CNN, Todd argued that Haley’s criticism might be more about drawing attention than genuine concern. “That’s good for ratings to be controversial,” Todd said. “I suspect that’s what’s going on.” Roginsky fired back, rejecting the idea that Haley was chasing ratings. “If she wanted ratings, she’d go full MAGA like Tucker Carlson and other people who used to have, you know, some sort of independent mind,” Roginsky said.

She went on to argue that Gabbard posed a more significant concern than other polarizing figures in Trump’s Cabinet lineup. “Tulsi Gabbard has been a bigger concern to me than this other clown car of a nominating contest,” Roginsky said. “She’s competing with people like Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth, so I don’t say that lightly. But Tulsi Gabbard effectively parrots pro-Russian talking points.”

Roginsky, a fluent Russian speaker, then provided her sharpest critique, explaining how Gabbard’s rhetoric aligns with Moscow’s propaganda. “I’m not saying that she’s a Russian asset,” Roginsky clarified, “I’m saying that she’s what the Russians would call a policy dark, which is a useful idiot. That’s exactly what she is because all she does is completely parrot every single thing that Vladimir Putin has said about the United States.”

The fiery exchange highlights the deep divisions surrounding Trump’s Cabinet choices and raises concerns over the potential implications of Gabbard’s leadership in U.S. intelligence.