Who is Tulsi Gabbard, the Hindu candidate selected by Donald Trump as director of national intelligence?
Who is Tulsi Gabbard, the Hindu candidate selected by Donald Trump as director of national intelligence?
Know more about Tulsi Gabbard, who is the director of national intelligence appointed by Trump.
Donald Trump appointed Tulsi Gabbard to a prominent intelligence position. Gabbard, who made history as the first Hindu member of Congress, has transitioned to the Republican Party.
A military veteran, she also ran for the presidency in 2020. Trump aims to reform US intelligence agencies, which he feels have been adversarial towards him. Gabbard is expected to play a crucial role in this transformation.
Gabbard, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve with combat experience in Iraq, has consistently questioned conventional foreign policy perspectives. Her appointment aligns with Trump’s inclination to choose foreign policy skeptics who scrutinize U.S. military involvement overseas.
Trump’s formal announcement lauded Gabbard’s “fearless spirit” and highlighted her potential role within intelligence agencies, underscoring the theme of “peace through strength.” It pointed out her shift from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, attributing her decision to President Trump’s leadership and his ability to reshape the Republican Party into a movement that represents the people and advocates for peace.
If confirmed, Gabbard would serve as a key intelligence adviser to the White House, collaborating with John Ratcliffe, Trump’s nominee for CIA director. She would oversee 18 intelligence agencies and be responsible for coordinating the President’s Daily Brief, an essential morning intelligence summary.
Tulsi Gabbard, 43, originally from American Samoa and brought up in Hawaii, also lived in the Philippines during her childhood. She began her political career at a young age, winning a seat in Hawaii’s House of Representatives at just 21. However, she resigned after one term to serve with her National Guard unit in Iraq.
As the inaugural Hindu representative in the House, she swore her oath on the “Bhagavad Gita.” Throughout her four terms, she made a significant impact by challenging the leadership of her party. Her early support for Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign significantly raised her profile among progressive circles.
Her 2020 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination focused on a progressive platform and a strong stance against U.S. military interventions. She pointed out that American involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts had led to regional instability and jeopardized national security.
During the primaries, she made headlines by challenging then-senator Kamala Harris regarding her record as a prosecutor. After she exited the race and endorsed Biden, she eventually departed from the Democratic Party, denouncing it as dominated by “an elitist cabal of warmongers” and “woke” ideologues. Following this, she chose to align herself with the Republican Party.
