Washington, D.C. – New details have emerged about a controversial trip to Syria in 2017 that reportedly produced a possible sighting of Austin Tice, an American journalist who has been imprisoned since 2012. The Economist has uncovered information linking this trip to Donald Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.
In early 2019, a Lebanese-American businessman approached Tulsi Gabbard, then a Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, with a stunning revelation. He claimed that during their visit to Syria in 2017, he had encountered Austin Tice, who was abducted while working outside Damascus in 2012.
The businessman’s account has reignited interest in Tice’s case and raised questions about the circumstances of the sighting. Tice, a freelance journalist, has been missing for over a decade, and his whereabouts have remained a mystery.
The revelation comes at a critical time as Tulsi Gabbard, who has been nominated by Donald Trump to serve as the director of national intelligence, faces scrutiny over her qualifications and past actions. Gabbard’s involvement in the 2017 trip and her subsequent knowledge of Tice’s possible sighting are likely to be key points of discussion during her confirmation hearings.
The case of Austin Tice continues to draw attention and concern from both the public and government officials, as efforts to locate and secure his release persist.