Ms. Gabbard has repeatedly voiced views in line with the Kremlin's. She insisted that the Biden administration, NATO and some European countries had dismissed Russia's security concerns about Ukraine and that Mr. Putin, who ordered the military invasion, was not solely to blame for the conflict.
On Thursday she will be defending those comments. At her confirmation hearing, senators are likely to zero in on her sympathy toward Russian President Vladimir V. Putin's arguments for waging war in Ukraine.
Gabbard has sought to walk back her past criticism of the program, but Collins told The Hill she doesn't necessarily believe Gabbard's change of heart.
Carlson alleged that Republican senators voting against Gabbard's nomination are enemies of the United States and defensively questioned why Americans should hate Assad.