Donald Trump’s pick to oversee 18 intelligence agencies with a $100 billion spy budget is facing renewed scrutiny over an unannounced trip to Syria in 2017 where she met with the now-deposed dictator twice.

Tulsi Gabbard fields questioning from Sen. Martin Heinrich on Bashar al-Assad during her Senate confirmation hearing to be Director of National Intelligence on Thursday.

The new government of Syria has demanded that the aggressor country of russia extradite former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who fled the country in

Syrian leader al-Sharaa reportedly also demands reparations as Moscow delegation seeks to secure strategic power bases.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's nominee to serve as the director of national intelligence, will testify Thursday morning at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The 43-year-old former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and combat veteran would oversee the nation's 18 spy agencies.

Visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani emphasised the "urgent need" to form an inclusive Syrian government during a meeting Thursday with the country's new interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Qatari royal court said.

Senators remain concerned about Tulsi Gabbard’s foreign contacts. In addition to meeting in 2017 with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad—who recently fled his country amid a rebel insurgency—Gabbard mig

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said discussions with a Qatari delegation in Damascus Thursday included reconstruction in the war-torn country, during the first visit by a head of state since Bashar al-Assad's ouster.

Qatar's Emir visits Syria, welcomed by interim President Sharaa, signaling support for reconstruction and diplomatic ties.

Among the topics likely to come up at the hearing: her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her friendly positions toward Russia and her push to drop charges against Edward Snowden.

Russia deployed troops to Syria in 2015 to support Assad regime's brutal crackdown against anti-government forces.