Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation to be Director of National Intelligence will likely hinge on two Republican senators’ votes in the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Many Republicans will likely vote for Gabbard out of deference to President Donald Trump. That would include Chairman Tom Cotton, who, despite his hawkishness toward Russia, would likely not want to cross Trump.

But keep an eye on some Republicans with more conventional foreign policy. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is a long-time member of the Senate Intelligence Committee who last week voted against Pete Hegseth’s confirmation to be Secretary of Defense.

Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, another Republican with traditional views of a robust foreign policy, will likely be another person to watch.

Traditionally, the Intelligence Committee votes behind closed doors because of the sensitive nature of their work. But if Gabbard emerges without unanimous consensus from the committee, that might give permission for other wobbly Republicans like Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, or Mitch McConnell to vote no.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley takes a pause at the start of Kash Patel’s hearing to be FBI Director: “I’d like to say that our prayers are with the victims of the tragedy at Reagan airport…Congress will work with the administration and get to the bottom of this.”

For those just joining us, here’s what we’re expecting on Capitol Hill this morning courtesy of James Liddell.

Robert F Kenedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel are among Donald Trump’s controversial, high-ranking picks will face Senators in their indivdiual confirmation hearings today.

Daniel Driscoll is set to be considered as secretary of the Army; Kash Patel as FBI director, Tulsi Gabbard as National Intelligence director; RFK Jr (again, today facing the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee after facing the Senate Finance Committee yesterday); Elise Stefanik as Ambassador to the United Nations; and Russell Vought as director of Office of Management Budget.

Donald Trump’s disapproval rating shot up following his first week as president as his administration ushered through a series of executive orders cracking down on immigration and beginning to fulfill MAGA pledges.

As Trump’s administration carried out immigration raids in cities across the U.S., and the president signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship (which has since been held up by a federal judge), the president’s disapproval rating increased by five percent, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Trump’s disapproval rating jumped to 46 percent in the latest poll that closed Sunday, up from 39 percent on the day he took office, according to two separate Reuters/Ipsos polls.

Rhian Lubin has the story.

MSNBC contributor Katty Kay slammed Donald Trump for appearing to fuel conspiracy theories around the Washington, DC plane crash which saw an American Airlines jet collide with a military helicopter on Wednesday night.

“Whether he’s actually informed speculation or just reacting to what he saw on television, seems really irresponsible to get ahead of the investigation,” she said on Thursday.

The president, who has been fully briefed on the situation, wrote on Truth Social that the crash “should have been prevented,” as he grieved over the victims on what he called a “terrible night”.

Trump questioned the conditions of the crash, noting it was “a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn”.

He added: “This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”

A military deportation flight to Guatemala ordered by Donald Trump likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant, according to data provided by US and Guatemalan officials.

That is more than five times the $853 cost of a first class ticket on American Airlines from El Paso, Texas, the departure point for the flight, according to a review of publicly available airfares.

It is also significantly higher than the cost of a commercial charter flight by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Robert F Kenedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel are among Donald Trump’s controversial, high-ranking picks will face Senators in their indivdiual confirmation hearings today.

Daniel Driscoll is set to be considered as secretary of the Army; Kash Patel as FBI director, Tulsi Gabbard as National Intelligence director; RFK Jr (again, today facing the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee after facing the Senate Finance Committee yesterday); Elise Stefanik as Ambassador to the United Nations; and Russell Vought as director of Office of Management Budget.

There is no word on whether the hearings will be postponed after the American Airlines-U.S. helicopter crash in Washington, DC, on Wednesday evening.

More Americans are in favor of President Donald Trump’s attempt to curb birthright citizenship than are against it, a new poll reveals, as presidential approval is improving post-inauguration.

The controversial executive order issued by Trump at the inauguration aims to end birthright citizenship for children of migrants, who are in the US on temporary visas or illegally. The move has already faced lawsuits from dozens of states and affected parties.

Yet a new poll from Emerson College post-inauguration, carried out from 27 to 28 January, shows 45 per cent of Americans support Trump’s efforts to roll back birthright citizenship for children of undocumented migrants.

The Independent’s data correspondent Alicja Hagopian has the details.