Who Is Tulsi Gabbard? Former Democrat-Turned-Republican Now Heads US Intelligence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met US Director Of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard in Washington and they discussed various aspects of India-US friendship.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi wrote, "Met USA's Director of National Intelligence, @TulsiGabbard in Washington DC. Congratulated her on her confirmation. Discussed various aspects of the India-USA friendship, of which she's always been a strong votary," PM Modi posted on X.

The Indian PM landed in the US for a two-day visit at the invitation of US President Donald Trump. India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, and other officials welcomed him at the airport. This is PM Modi's first visit to the United States after Donald Trump assumed office for the second term.

Who is Tulsi Gabbard?

Born on April 12, 1981, in Leloaloa, American Samoa, Gabbard earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University in 2009. Her father, Mike Gabbard, has served in the Hawaii state Senate since 2006. As a teenager, she co-founded the Healthy Hawaii Coalition (HHC), a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to environmental protection and public health.

In 2002, at just 21 years old, Gabbard became the youngest person elected to the Hawaii state legislature, representing District 42 in West Oahu until 2004. The following year, she enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard, completing basic training between legislative sessions.

She deployed to Iraq in July 2004 for a year-long tour. In 2007, she graduated from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, becoming the first woman in the school's 50-year history to be named the distinguished honor graduate. From 2007 to 2009, she worked as a legislative aide for U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka. She was deployed to Kuwait in 2009, where she trained counterterrorism units.

Gabbard returned to politics in 2010, winning a seat on the Honolulu City Council. In 2012, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She also served as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2013 to 2016.

In October 2022, Gabbard left the Democratic Party and became an independent. Two years later, in October 2024, she joined the Republican Party.

Strong Critic Of the Islamist Movement

During her tenure in Congress, Tulsi Gabbard was a strong critic of Islamist movements in the Middle East and firmly opposed U.S. military intervention in the Syrian civil war. Around 2015, she frequently criticized the Obama administration for not explicitly acknowledging Islamic extremism as a significant issue.

In August 2024, Gabbard endorsed former President Donald Trump in his bid for the White House. Following his nomination of her as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), her past remarks on Syria faced renewed scrutiny, along with concerns over her perceived sympathy toward Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. However, many veterans and Republican leaders defended her nomination, citing her military service and congressional experience.