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. She served as the U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. Currently, she holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and serves as the 8th director of national intelligence since 2025. Gabbard was formerly a Democrat, and in 2024 joined the Republican Party. Prior to her congressional service, she was the youngest state legislator in Hawaii from 2002 to 2004.
1998: Support for Father's Campaign Against Gay Marriage
In 1998, at age 17, Tulsi Gabbard supported her father's campaign to amend the Constitution of Hawaii to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples.
2007: Nancy Pelosi visit to Syria
Tulsi Gabbard's visit to Syria was the first by a U.S. lawmaker since Nancy Pelosi in 2007.
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).
2013: Criticism of Obama's Refusal to Label Islamic Extremism
Between 2013 and 2017, Tulsi Gabbard criticized President Obama for not referring to the Islamic State's beliefs and terrorism as "Islamic extremism" or "radical Islam" during appearances on Fox News.
October 2015: Asked Not to Attend Debate
Following her criticism, Tulsi Gabbard was reportedly asked not to attend the October 2015 debate in Las Vegas.
2015: Criticism of Obama Administration on Islamic Extremists
In 2015, Tulsi Gabbard criticized the Obama administration for "refusing" to say that the "real enemy" of the United States is Islamic extremists.
2015: Meeting with Egyptian Dictator al-Sisi and Subsequent Criticism
In 2015, Tulsi Gabbard met with Egyptian dictator 'Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo and commended his "great courage and leadership" against "Islamist ideology", which led to widespread criticism due to Sisi's human rights record.
2015: Support for Increased Border Security and Refugee Vetting
In 2015, Tulsi Gabbard, along with 47 other Democrats, supported increased border security and voted with Republicans for vetting of Iraqi and Syrian refugees. She also called for halting the visa waiver program after mass numbers of Syrian immigrants entered Germany, until the threat of terrorist attacks was resolved.
2016: Hillary Clinton Accusation
In October 2019, Hillary Clinton suggested that Tulsi Gabbard was a "Russian asset," leading to widespread defense of Gabbard and condemnation of Clinton's remarks. Gabbard responded by calling Clinton the "queen of warmongers."
April 2017: Gabbard Skeptical of Assad's Responsibility in Chemical Attack
In April 2017, Tulsi Gabbard stated she would denounce Assad as a war criminal if an independent investigation found him responsible for the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, but expressed skepticism, wanting clear evidence presented to Congress, drawing parallels to the Iraq War. She supported UN efforts to collect evidence for a successful prosecution at the International Criminal Court.
2017: Criticism of Obama's Refusal to Label Islamic Extremism
Between 2013 and 2017, Tulsi Gabbard criticized President Obama for not referring to the Islamic State's beliefs and terrorism as "Islamic extremism" or "radical Islam" during appearances on Fox News.
2017: Syria Trip
In 2017, Gabbard clarified the details of her 2017 Syria trip with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
2017: Gabbard Skeptical of U.S. Military Action in Syria
In 2017, Gabbard expressed skepticism about incidents in Syria that were used as an excuse to launch a U.S. military attack, emphasizing the need for clear evidence before taking military action.
February 2019: Reports of Gabbard's Skepticism Resurface
In February 2019, reports resurfaced about Tulsi Gabbard's skepticism regarding Assad's regime being behind a gas attack. These reports appeared during her presidential campaign and after her nomination for DNI.
March 10, 2019: Gabbard Clarifies Stance on Chemical Weapons in Syria
On March 10, 2019, during a CNN Townhall, Tulsi Gabbard clarified her stance on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, stating that both the Syrian government and terrorist groups had used them. She explained that her skepticism in 2017 was regarding incidents used to justify a U.S. military attack.
August 2019: Tulsi 2020 Campaign Releases Report on Chemical Attacks in Syria
In August 2019, Tulsi Gabbard's 2020 presidential campaign published a compilation of analyses on chemical attacks in Syria, noting evidence of chemical weapon use by both sides but expressing skepticism about the Khan Shaykhun and Douma attacks. The report raised concerns about reliance on social media and unverified sources for military actions.
September 2019: Media Coverage of Presidential Campaign
In September 2019, media coverage of Tulsi Gabbard's presidential campaign was summarized as being heavily negative, with accusations of Russian ties and unfair dismissal.
October 2019: Media Attacks and McCarthyism Accusations
Also in October 2019, James Carden of The Nation wrote that "McCarthyism had gone mainstream" due to media attacks against Gabbard.
October 2019: Hillary Clinton's "Russian Asset" Accusation
In October 2019, Hillary Clinton suggested that Tulsi Gabbard was a "Russian asset," leading to widespread defense of Gabbard and condemnation of Clinton's remarks. Gabbard responded by calling Clinton the "queen of warmongers."
December 2019: Saturday Night Live Parodies
After the November and December 2019 debates, Saturday Night Live's parodies of the debates portrayed Tulsi Gabbard as the villain.
December 2019: Missed 85% of Votes but Voted "Present" on Impeachment Articles
Between October and December 2019, Gabbard missed 85% of votes but cast a "present" vote on both articles of impeachment in the first impeachment of Donald Trump.
December 2019: Vote of "Present" on Trump Impeachment
In December 2019, Tulsi Gabbard voted "present" during the House of Representatives' impeachment vote against President Trump, citing The Federalist Papers and protesting what she called a "political zero-sum game."
2019: Apology for Past Anti-Gay Views During Presidential Campaign
After launching her presidential campaign in 2019, Tulsi Gabbard apologized for her past anti-gay views, attributing her changed perspective to her military experiences with LGBTQ service members.
January 2020: Defamation Lawsuit Against Hillary Clinton
In January 2020, Tulsi Gabbard filed a legal defamation lawsuit against Hillary Clinton over the 'Russian asset' assertion, but dropped it five months later.
September 2020: Converted Presidential Campaign Committee and Criticized Netflix's "Cuties"
In September 2020, Gabbard converted her presidential campaign committee, Tulsi Now, into Tulsi Aloha, a leadership PAC. That same month, she criticized Netflix over the film Cuties, arguing that it contributed to the exploitation of children.
2020: Introduction of "Protect Women's Sports Act"
In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard and Republican U.S. representative Markwayne Mullin introduced the "Protect Women's Sports Act," defining Title IX protections based on biological sex, leading to criticism from LGBTQ organizations.
2020: Criticism of Soleimani Airstrike
In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard criticized the U.S. military's Baghdad International Airport airstrike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, calling it an act of war without congressional authorization.
2020: Most Frequently Googled Candidate After Debates and Criticism of Kamala Harris
In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard was the most frequently Googled candidate after the first, second, and fourth 2020 Democratic primary debates. During the second debate, Gabbard criticized Kamala Harris's record as attorney general of California.
2020: Publication of "Reports on Chemical Attacks in Syria"
In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard's presidential campaign published "Reports on Chemical Attacks in Syria", a document that was criticized for factual errors.
2020: Shift to Conservative Positions and Transgender Sports Ban Bill
In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard, during her Democratic presidential primary, displayed moderate stances, but afterwards shifted towards conservative positions on cultural issues. In 2020, she introduced a bill to ban trans-women from female sports.
January 2021: Launched Podcast and Criticized Political Figures
In January 2021, Tulsi Gabbard launched her own podcast, called This is Tulsi Gabbard. She also made several appearances on Fox News programs, criticizing figures such as Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff.
February 11, 2022: Gabbard Suggests Guaranteeing Ukraine Won't Join NATO to Avert War
On February 11, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard suggested that President Biden could prevent a war with Russia by guaranteeing that Ukraine would not become a member of NATO, criticizing 'warmongers' and suggesting the U.S. might want Russia to invade.
March 9, 2022: Gabbard Expresses Concern Over Unsecured Bio Agents in Ukraine
On March 9, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard expressed serious concern about the potential risk of unsecured biological agents in Ukrainian labs amidst the war with Russia, calling it a 'global crisis'.
March 13, 2022: Romney Accuses Gabbard of Parroting Russian Propaganda
On March 13, 2022, Mitt Romney tweeted that Tulsi Gabbard was parroting false Russian propaganda regarding a US-funded covert biological weapons program in Ukraine, calling her claims 'treasonous lies'.
April 2022: Expressed Support for Florida's Parental Rights Bill
In April 2022, Tulsi Gabbard expressed support for Florida's Parental Rights Bill, stating it didn't go far enough.
October 11, 2022: Left the Democratic Party
On October 11, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard announced she was leaving the Democratic Party, criticizing its leadership.
2022: Endorsement of Florida Parental Rights in Education Act
In 2022, Tulsi Gabbard endorsed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which restricts discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
August 30, 2024: Gabbard Accused of Endorsing Russian Propaganda on Ukraine Biolabs
On August 30, 2024, Dana Milbank wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that Tulsi Gabbard had endorsed Russian propaganda by falsely claiming the United States was funding biological laboratories in Ukraine that could spread dangerous pathogens.
November 2024: Reports about Gabbard calling for evidence
In November 2024, the BBC reported that Gabbard had called for evidence to be presented to Congress.
2024: Gabbard's Ties to Russia Scrutinized
In 2024, the New York Times reported that while some lawmakers accused Gabbard of pro-Russia foreign policy stances that were praised by Russian media, there was no evidence of a connection between Gabbard and Russian agencies, although her calls for improved diplomatic ties made her a popular voice in Russian state media.
February 11, 2025: Senator Reed Criticizes Gabbard's Views During DNI Nomination Consideration
On February 11, 2025, during Senate consideration of Gabbard's nomination for DNI, Senator Jack Reed referenced Mitt Romney's previous accusation that she was parroting Russian propaganda regarding a covert biological weapons program in Ukraine.
