Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Tulsi Gabbard

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Tulsi Gabbard.

Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and military officer currently serving as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) since 2025. She holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Previously, she represented Hawaii's 2nd congressional district as a U.S. Representative from 2013 to 2021. Gabbard began her political career as the youngest state legislator in Hawaii from 2002 to 2004. Formerly a Democrat, she switched to the Republican Party in 2024.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

1998: Support for Father's Campaign Against Gay Marriage

In 1998, at age 17, Tulsi Gabbard supported her father's successful campaign to amend the Constitution of Hawaii, giving lawmakers the power to "reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples".

2012: Apology for Anti-Gay Advocacy

In 2012, Tulsi Gabbard apologized for her "anti-gay advocacy" and pledged to "fight for the repeal" of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

September 2015: Gabbard Criticizes DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz

In September 2015, Tulsi Gabbard criticized DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz's decision to limit the number of debates in the 2016 Democratic primary.

October 2015: Reportedly Asked Not to Attend Debate

Following her criticism, Tulsi Gabbard was reportedly asked not to attend the October 2015 debate in Las Vegas.

2015: Meeting with Egyptian dictator al-Sisi

In 2015, Tulsi Gabbard met with Egyptian dictator Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo. Following the meeting, she praised Sisi's "great courage and leadership" in his regime's war against "Islamist ideology." This close engagement with Sisi, who was responsible for the Rabaa massacre, drew widespread criticism.

January 2017: Visit to Syria and Lebanon

In January 2017, Tulsi Gabbard undertook a one-week "fact-finding mission" to Syria and Lebanon. During this trip, she met with various political and religious leaders and had two unplanned meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The visit was arranged by individuals connected to the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.

April 2017: Response to Khan Shaykhun Chemical Attack

In April 2017, following the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, Tulsi Gabbard was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on CNN. She emphasized the need for evidence and facts, stating she would denounce Assad as a war criminal if found responsible by an independent investigation. She also expressed skepticism, warning against repeating a counterproductive regime war without clear evidence and congressional consent.

2017: Statements on Syrian conflict

Following her visit to Syria, in 2017, Tulsi Gabbard stated that there is no difference between "moderate" rebels and al-Qaeda or ISIS, and that they are all the same. She described the conflict as a war between terrorists and the Syrian government.

2017: Clarification on Skepticism of Assad's Use of Chemical Weapons

On March 10, 2019, in a CNN Townhall, Tulsi Gabbard clarified that her skepticism regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria was specifically around incidents in 2017, which were used as an excuse to launch a U.S. military attack in Syria. She stated that chemical weapons have been used by both the Syrian government and terrorist groups.

2018: Characterization of U.S. involvement in Syria

In 2018, Tulsi Gabbard characterized the U.S. as waging a regime change war in Syria since 2011.

February 2019: Statements on Assad and U.S. foreign policy

In February 2019, during an interview with MSNBC, Tulsi Gabbard stated that Assad is not the enemy of the United States. She later stated on CNN that while Assad is a brutal dictator, the U.S. should not be waging regime-change wars around the world.

February 2019: Reports on Gabbard's Skepticism Regarding Assad

In February 2019, during the run-up to her presidential campaign, news outlets reported that Tulsi Gabbard had called for evidence to be presented to Congress regarding the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in Syria and that she was skeptical about the Assad regime's responsibility.

March 10, 2019: Clarification on Skepticism of Assad's Use of Chemical Weapons

August 2019: Statements on Assad's Dictatorship

In August 2019, Tulsi Gabbard stated that Assad is "a brutal dictator. Just like Saddam Hussein. Just like Gadhafi in Libya". She said she is outspoken about ending regime-change wars because of the high human cost and impact on fellow service members.

August 2019: Publication of "Reports on Chemical Attacks in Syria"

In August 2019, the Tulsi 2020 presidential campaign published "Reports on Chemical Attacks in Syria", a compilation of analyses on two attacks, stating there "is evidence" that both sides have used chemical weapons in Syria. Gabbard "remained skeptical" of the Khan Shaykhun and Douma chemical attacks, expressing concern about over-reliance on social media posts to support military actions.

September 2019: Media Coverage Summarized as Negative

In September 2019, media coverage of Tulsi Gabbard's presidential campaign was summarized by Vanity Fair as being exceptionally negative. Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti described Gabbard as "the most unfairly maligned person in Washington."

October 2019: McCarthyism Had Gone Mainstream

In October 2019, James Carden of The Nation wrote that "McCarthyism had gone mainstream" as media attacked Tulsi Gabbard. He viewed the Clinton-Gabbard feud as part of "a long campaign of vilification against critics of the Russia consensus."

October 2019: Hillary Clinton Suggests Gabbard is a "Russian Asset"

In October 2019, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton suggested that Tulsi Gabbard was a "Russian asset." This accusation was met with widespread defense of Gabbard from fellow presidential candidates and others.

December 2019: Saturday Night Live Parodies Gabbard

After the December 2019 debate, Saturday Night Live's parodies of the debates showed Tulsi Gabbard as the villain, introducing her with menacing music and flashing lights.

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December 2019: Vote on Impeachment of President Trump

In December 2019, Tulsi Gabbard voted "present" during the House of Representatives' vote to impeach President Trump, citing The Federalist Papers essay No. 65 and describing her vote as a protest against "a political zero-sum game".

2019: Views Putin as a U.S. Adversary

In 2019, Tulsi Gabbard affirmed on MSNBC's Morning Joe that she views Putin as a U.S. adversary.

2019: Apology for Past Anti-Gay Views

In 2019, after launching her presidential campaign, Tulsi Gabbard apologized for her past anti-gay views, stating that her views had been changed by her experience in the military "with LGBTQ service members, both here at home and while deployed".

January 2020: Gabbard Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Clinton

In January 2020, Tulsi Gabbard filed a legal defamation lawsuit against Hillary Clinton over the "Russian asset" assertion.

September 2020: Gabbard Converts Campaign Committee and Criticizes Netflix's 'Cuties'

In September 2020, Tulsi Gabbard converted her presidential campaign committee, Tulsi Now, into Tulsi Aloha, a leadership PAC. In September 2020, she also criticized Netflix over the film Cuties, arguing that it contributed to the exploitation of children.

2020: Criticism of Trump's China Policy

During her 2020 presidential campaign, Tulsi Gabbard criticized President Donald Trump's confrontational attitude toward China and his trade war, proposing a cooperative relationship to address global challenges such as climate change and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

2020: Gabbard Criticizes Kamala Harris During Democratic Primary Debate

During the second 2020 Democratic primary debate, Tulsi Gabbard criticized Kamala Harris's record as attorney general of California, accusing her of holding innocent people on death row and asserting that Harris owed them an apology. Gabbard was also the most frequently Googled candidate after the first, second, and fourth debates.

2020: Accused Turkey of inciting conflict

In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard accused Turkey of encouraging and inciting the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. She also co-signed a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing concern over Azerbaijan's renewed aggression against Artsakh and possible conflict with Armenia, urging the United States to intervene.

2020: Introduction of 'Protect Women's Sports Act'

In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard and Republican U.S. representative Markwayne Mullin introduced a bill titled the "Protect Women's Sports Act" that would seek to define Title IX protections on the basis of an individual's biological sex.

2020: Criticism of Baghdad International Airport airstrike

In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard criticized the U.S. military's Baghdad International Airport airstrike, which killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. She called it an act of war by President Donald Trump and a violation of the U.S. Constitution, stating that Trump lacked congressional authorization.

2020: Shifting Political Positions and Bill Introduction

In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard shifted towards Republican stances on social issues, including abortion, gun control, and transgender rights. She introduced a bill to ban trans women from female sports. These positions align with conservative viewpoints.

2020: Presidential Campaign run

February 11, 2022: Suggested Guaranteeing Ukraine Won't Join NATO

On February 11, 2022, during the lead-up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Tulsi Gabbard suggested that President Biden could prevent a war with Russia by guaranteeing that Ukraine would not become a member of NATO. She also expressed skepticism about the motives behind not resolving the issue, blaming "warmongers on both sides in Washington" and suggesting the U.S. might want Russia to invade in order to impose sanctions and cement a new Cold War.

March 9, 2022: Concerns over Bio Agents in Ukraine

On March 9, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard expressed "extreme concern" over unsecured, dangerous bio agents in Ukraine during an appearance on Tucker Carlson's show, following comments from Victoria Nuland about Ukrainian biological research facilities.

March 13, 2022: Senator Romney's tweet on Gabbard's claims about US Biolabs

On February 11, 2025, during Senate consideration of the nomination of Gabbard for DNI, Senator Jack Reed quoted a tweet from Senator Mitt Romney from March 13, 2022, saying she made bogus claims about a US funded covert biological weapons program in Ukraine and that Tulsi Gabbard is parroting false Russian propaganda.

April 4, 2022: Criticism of Putin's Attack on Ukraine

On April 4, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard tweeted, criticizing President Putin's attack on Ukraine as a reprehensible and huge geopolitical error and calling for the withdrawal of Russian forces.

October 11, 2022: Gabbard Leaves Democratic Party

On October 11, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard announced on Twitter that she was leaving the Democratic Party, accusing its leadership of "cowardly wokeness, anti-white racism, [being] hostile to people of faith and spirituality, and dragging us closer to nuclear war".

2022: Endorsement of Florida Parental Rights in Education Act

In 2022, Tulsi Gabbard endorsed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which restricts classroom discussions about sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida's public schools.

2022: Reports on Gabbard's Accusations Regarding US Biolabs in Ukraine

In 2022, following Donald Trump's nomination of Tulsi Gabbard for DNI, news organizations reported that Gabbard had accused the U.S. of running bioweapons laboratories in Ukraine. Other sources noted that she had clarified or "walked back" her remarks. Some reports indicated Gabbard "endorsed" Moscow's claim about Ukraine using the labs to create bioweapons, while others said she "expressed concerns" about Ukrainian possession of biological weapons.

October 7, 2023: Gabbard condemns Hamas' attack on Israel

On October 7, 2023, Tulsi Gabbard strongly condemned Hamas' attack on Israel, labeling Hamas an Islamist terrorist organization and expressing firm support for Israel.

December 2023: Concerns about the Remilitarization of Japan

In December 2023, Tulsi Gabbard questioned whether the ongoing remilitarization of Japan was a good idea, cautioning against shortsighted leaders leading to conflict with a remilitarized Japan.

August 30, 2024: Milbank Op-ed on Gabbard's Endorsement of Russian Propaganda

On August 30, 2024, Dana Milbank wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that Tulsi Gabbard endorsed Russian propaganda by falsely claiming the United States was funding biological laboratories in Ukraine that could spread dangerous pathogens.

November 2024: Reports on Gabbard's Skepticism Regarding Assad

In November 2024, news outlets, including the BBC, reported that Tulsi Gabbard had called for evidence to be presented to Congress regarding the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in Syria and that she was skeptical about the Assad regime's responsibility.

2024: Media Analysis of Gabbard's Russia Ties

In 2024, The New York Times noted that while Tulsi Gabbard's foreign policy positions have often resulted in praise from Russian media, no evidence has emerged of a connection between Gabbard and any Russian agencies.

February 11, 2025: Senator Reed's comments on Gabbard's nomination for DNI

On February 11, 2025, during Senate consideration of the nomination of Gabbard for DNI, Senator Jack Reed said that she made bogus claims about a US funded covert biological weapons program in Ukraine and that Tulsi Gabbard is parroting false Russian propaganda.