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 U.S. military officer who served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021 and in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 2002 to 2004. Once a member of the Democratic Party, she became an independent before joining the Republican Party in 2024. She became the eighth director of national intelligence (DNI) since 2025.

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

2012: Apology for "anti-gay advocacy"

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

September 2015: Criticism of DNC Debate Limits

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: Reported Request Not to Attend Debate

Following her criticism of DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Tulsi Gabbard was reportedly asked not to attend the October 2015 debate in Las Vegas.

2015: Meeting with Egyptian dictator 'Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo

In 2015, Tulsi Gabbard met with Egyptian dictator 'Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo. After the meeting, she issued a statement expressing her commendation of Sisi as a ruler who showed "great courage and leadership" in his regime's war against "Islamist ideology". Her close engagement with Sisi, an Arab autocrat responsible for the killing of more than 800 people in the Rabaa massacre, was met with widespread criticism.

2016: Criticism of DNC

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

January 2017: Fact-finding mission to Syria and Lebanon

In January 2017, Tulsi Gabbard went on a one-week "fact-finding mission" to Syria and Lebanon, during which she met various political and religious leaders from both countries–and also had two unplanned meetings with then-Syrian-president Bashar al-Assad.

April 2017: Interview on CNN Regarding Khan Shaykhun Chemical Attack

In April 2017, after the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, Tulsi Gabbard was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on CNN. She said that "What matters is the evidence and facts," stating she would denounce Assad as a war criminal if found responsible by an independent investigation, but expressed skepticism: "So whether the President says that they have the evidence, the fact remains that they have not brought that evidence before Congress," and that the U.S. military strike "flew directly in the face" of the U.N.'s action "to launch an independent investigation". She drew parallels to the Iraq War, warning against repeating "a counterproductive regime war" without clear evidence and congressional consent. In a statement she said "A successful prosecution of Assad (at the International Criminal Court) will require collection of evidence from the scene of the incident, and I support the United Nation's efforts in this regard. Without such evidence, a successful prosecution is impossible".

2017: Clarification of 2017 Syria Trip

In 2017, Tulsi Gabbard addressed concerns regarding her trip to Syria with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich, stating that he arranged the meetings, and she denied knowledge of extremist remarks made by Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, also clarifying that her trip had been cleared by House Ethics.

2017: Initial Skepticism Around Incidents in 2017

On March 10, 2019, in a CNN Townhall, Tulsi Gabbard clarified that her initial skepticism was specifically around incidents in 2017, which were used as an excuse to launch a U.S. military attack in Syria.

February 2019: Reports on Gabbard's Skepticism

Reports reappeared in the run-up to and during her presidential campaign and, again, after her being nominated for DNI Politico in February 2019 reported that she had called for evidence to be presented to Congress.

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

On March 10, 2019, in a CNN Townhall, in response to Dana Bash asking "Do you remain skeptical as you were in 2017 that Bashir al Assad used chemical warfare against Syrian civilians?", Gabbard said, "I want to correct that... Chemical weapons have been used in Syria, both by the Syrian government as well as different terrorist groups". She further clarified that her initial skepticism was specifically around incidents in 2017, which were used as an excuse to launch a U.S. military attack in Syria.

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 short compilation of various analyses and reports (mostly by scientist Theodore Postol) on two attacks. The document said that there "is evidence" that both sides have used chemical weapons in Syria, but that Gabbard "remained skeptical" of the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, and the Douma chemical attack, with evidence they may have been staged by rebels and relaying a concern about an over-reliance on social media posts and unverified sources to support military actions.

September 2019: Media Coverage Criticism

In September 2019, media coverage of Tulsi Gabbard's presidential campaign was described as highly negative, with claims of unfair treatment and scrutiny.

October 2019: Hillary Clinton's 'Russian Asset' Claim

In October 2019, Hillary Clinton suggested that Tulsi Gabbard was a "Russian asset," leading to widespread criticism and defense from fellow candidates and others.

October 2019: Media Attacks

In October 2019, James Carden wrote about "McCarthyism" in the media attacks on Tulsi Gabbard.

December 2019: Saturday Night Live Parodies

After both the November and December 2019 debates, Saturday Night Live parodies of the debates showed Tulsi Gabbard as the villain.

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December 2019: Vote "Present" on Trump Impeachment

In December 2019, Tulsi Gabbard voted "present" when the House of Representatives voted 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: Apology for past anti-gay views

In 2019, after launching her presidential campaign, Tulsi Gabbard apologized for her past anti-gay views and said 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: 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: Conversion of Campaign Committee and Criticism of 'Cuties'

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

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2020: Introduction of the "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. After introducing the bill, Gabbard was condemned by activists and LGBTQ organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, which said: "Gabbard has lost all credibility as an ally."

2020: Publication of "Reports on Chemical Attacks in Syria"

March 9, 2022: Expresses concern over bio agents in Ukraine

On March 9, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard responded to a question from Tucker Carlson regarding the potential of unsecured bio agents in Ukraine, stating that she was extremely concerned due to pathogens being present in a war zone across 20 to 30 labs.

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 with bogus claims about a U.S. funded covert biological weapons program in Ukraine, and that her treasonous lies may well cost lives.

April 4, 2022: Calls on Putin to withdraw from Ukraine

On April 4, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard tweeted to Vladimir Putin that his attack on Ukraine was reprehensible and a geopolitical error, urging him to withdraw Russian forces for the sake of the Russian and Ukrainian people.

2022: Accusations of Bioweapons Labs

In 2022, Tulsi Gabbard accused the U.S. of running bioweapons laboratories in Ukraine, or expressed concerns that Ukraine was in possession of biological weapons; she later clarified or "walked back" her remarks. Some sources reported she had endorsed Moscow's claim Ukraine was using the labs to create deadly bioweapons.

2022: Endorsement of Florida Parental Rights in Education Act

In 2022, Tulsi Gabbard endorsed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits public schools in Florida from having "classroom discussion" or giving "classroom instruction" about sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through third grade or in any manner deemed to be against state standards in all grades. She said the bill "bans government and government schools from indoctrinating woke sexual values in our schools to a captive audience". She also suggested that the bill should apply to all grades.

August 30, 2024: Milbank accuses Gabbard of endorsing Russian propaganda

On August 30, 2024, Dana Milbank wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that Tulsi Gabbard had endorsed Russian propaganda with false claims of the United States funding biological laboratories in Ukraine that could spread dangerous pathogens.

November 2024: Reports on Gabbard's Skepticism

Reports reappeared after her being nominated for DNI in November 2024 the BBC reported that she had called for evidence to be presented to Congress.

2024: No Evidence of Gabbard Connection to Russian Agencies

In 2024, The New York Times reported that no evidence has emerged connecting Tulsi Gabbard to any Russian agencies, although her advocacy for improved US-Russia diplomatic ties made her a popular voice in Russian state media.

February 11, 2025: Reed references Romney's tweet during Senate consideration

On February 11, 2025, during Senate consideration of Tulsi Gabbard's nomination for DNI, Senator Jack Reed referenced Mitt Romney's March 13, 2022, tweet accusing her of parroting false Russian propaganda about a U.S. funded covert biological weapons program in Ukraine.

March 2025: Inclusion in Signal Group Chat Leak

In March 2025, Tulsi Gabbard was involved in a Signal group chat leak where plans for US attacks in Yemen were discussed and journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently included. She admitted the inclusion was a "mistake."

August 20, 2025: Revocation of Security Clearances

On August 20, 2025, Tulsi Gabbard announced the revocation of the security clearances of 37 current and former U.S. officials, accusing them of various offenses without providing evidence.

December 2025: Accusations Against CAIR and Paterson

During a speech in December 2025, Tulsi Gabbard accused the Council on American-Islamic Relations of advocating the implementation of sharia, or Islamic law, in the United States and further claimed that the city government of Paterson, New Jersey was planning to impose sharia, prompting rejections and criticisms.

January 2026: Presence at Fulton County Election Hub Search

In late January 2026, Tulsi Gabbard was present during an FBI search warrant execution at the Fulton County, Georgia, Election Hub, where agents seized 2020 election materials, stating that Trump requested her presence to observe under her election-security authority, focusing on possible foreign or malign interference.