WASHINGTON — Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence, defended her past controversial views and told lawmakers during Thursday’s confirmation hearing that big changes are needed to address years of failures of America’s intelligence service.

Gabbard lashed out at former intelligence leaders and said that too often, intelligence provided to policymakers has been false or politicized, leading to wars, foreign policy failures and the weaponization of espionage.

“The bottom line is this must end. President Trump’s reelection is a clear mandate from the American people to break this cycle of failure and the weaponization and politicization of the intelligence community,” Gabbard said at the start of her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Gabbard promised to be objective and “leave her personal views at the door.” She noted her military service and said she would bring the same sense of duty and responsibility to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

— The Associated Press