Director of national intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard’s views on former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and his theft of more than a million classified documents mushroomed into a major point of contention with Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.

Donald Trump's nominee to be director of national intelligence refused to call Edward Snowden a "traitor" under questioning by senators on Thursday.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was “surprised” that director of national intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard refused to call former NSA contractor Edward Snowden a “traitor” after being repeatedly pressed on the question at a Thursday hearing.

When one lawmaker asked if she believed Mr. Snowden was a traitor, Ms. Gabbard simply said that she was ‘focused on the future.’

Gabbard was questioned by Republicans and Democrats alike on her views of Snowden and whether she believes he was a traitor. She declined to say she believed he was a traitor, repeating that she felt he had broken the law and reiterating a point that she has made in the past, that he exposed practices that have resulted in the reform of 702.

Gabbard's previous comments about Snowden, responsible for one of the most damaging leaks of sensitive U.S. intelligence, were the focal point of her hearing.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence, faced sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike Thursday during a fiery confirmation hearing focused on her past comments sympathetic to Russia,

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump’s pick to be the next director of national intelligence, endured a difficult hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday as lawmakers pressed her on

Republican senators, Democratic senators, and even Edward Snowden urged Tulsi Gabbard to speak out against Edward Snowden at her confirmation hearing, but she steadfastly refused to call the former National Security Agency contractor a traitor.

Meghan McCain expressed her fury over the possibility of DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard being rejected by the Senate on Friday. The post ‘If She Were a Man!’ Meghan McCain Furious GOP Might ‘Screw’ Tulsi Gabbard,

In dueling confirmation hearings, Trump’s DNI pick appeared on shaky ground after refusing to condemn Edward Snowden as a “traitor,” while FBI director nominee Kash Patel won plaudits from Republicans.