When Americans overwhelmingly re-elected President Trump last month, they sent a clear message: it’s time for real change. This mandate for change demands we fix our broken institutions, and there’s no better place to start than the intelligence community.   Thankfully, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, embodies the kind of leadership needed to uphold the Constitution, restore accountability and transparency, dismantle the corruption of intelligence agencies, and refocus their mission on protecting the American people — not targeting them.   Gabbard’s life has been one of service and sacrifice. As a lieutenant colonel with more than 20 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, she has seen firsthand the cost of war and the critical role of intelligence in national security. She has handled highly classified information and led troops on deployments. She understands the gravity of safeguarding American lives.  Her public service didn’t stop on the battlefield. In 2012, Gabbard became a U.S. congresswoman promising to honor her fellow service members' sacrifices. As a member of the House Armed Services, Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs committees, she developed an intimate understanding of the intelligence community’s role in defending our homeland. Her credentials are strong. What sets Gabbard apart is her willingness to challenge the status quo. She has been an outspoken critic of abuses within the intelligence community, especially under the Biden-Harris administration. Consider the shocking revelations in April 2023, when the Justice Department’s Inspector General testified on the staggering number of improper and mistaken searches conducted by intelligence agencies. These abuses are not mere technical errors — they represent a blatant disregard for the privacy and constitutional rights of Americans.   We cannot allow the intelligence community to operate without accountability or transparency. Gabbard understands this better than anyone. Like Trump, she has firsthand experience with the gross overreach and politicization of our national security apparatus, which has become more concerned with silencing dissenting voices than with protecting Americans and America's national security interests. As director of national intelligence, she will ensure that these agencies serve the people — not political agendas.   A director of national intelligence must rise above partisanship, and Gabbard has proven she’s up to the task. Earlier this year, she made the bold decision to become a registered Republican, stating that the Democratic Party she once belonged to had become “unrecognizable” after becoming driven by lies, endless wars and woke ideologies.   This decision wasn’t made lightly, but it underscores Gabbard’s commitment to putting her country above politics. She has shown time and again that she will do what’s right for America, regardless of any political consequences. Under Gabbard’s leadership, the intelligence community will return to its rightful purpose: defending the American people and upholding their constitutional freedoms. Together, Trump and Gabbard will implement reforms that ensure these agencies operate transparently and without any foreign influence from our adversaries.  The challenges we face — both at home and abroad — require leaders of unparalleled strength, integrity and vision. Gabbard is that leader. With her at the helm of our intelligence community, we can begin to restore the trust of the American people and secure a safer, freer future for our nation. The time for change is now, and there is no doubt in my mind that Gabbard is the woman to deliver it. Marsha Blackburn is the senior senator from Tennessee.