During opening remarks, Gabbard cited examples of how the intelligence community agencies have been politicised against Trump and his supporters, asserting "this must end."

Gabbard urged that Trump's massive victory serves as a mandate from Americans to overhaul the intelligence apparatus which has been infested and weaponised by deep state operatives.

Gabbard emphasized that the reason she has been so vilified and even placed on a terror watchlist is because she refuses to act as just another puppet. 

"Those who oppose my nomination imply that I am loyal to something or someone other than God, my own conscience, and the Constitution of the United States—accusing me of being Trump's puppet, Putin's puppet, Assad's puppet, a guru's puppet, and Modi's puppet—without recognizing the absurdity of simultaneously being the puppet of five different puppet masters," Gabbard stated.

She added, "The same tactic was used against President Trump and failed. The American people elected President Trump with a decisive victory and a mandate for change. The fact is, what truly unsettles my political opponents is that I refuse to be their puppet."