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.

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.

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,