President-elect Trump has nominated former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to serve as his director of national intelligence. Why it matters: If confirmed, the ex-Democrat turned MAGA ally would head the country's vast intelligence community despite having little experience in the field.

Tulsi Gabbard - a former Democratic congresswoman who joined the Republican Party to back Donald Trump - is the president-elect's pick for director of national intelligence. The wide-ranging role would mean she oversees US intelligence agencies like the CIA, FBI and the National Security Agency (NSA), which focuses on intelligence gathering.