Early Life and Education of Tulsi Gabbard: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Tulsi Gabbard. A timeline of key moments.

Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and military officer currently serving as the Director of National Intelligence since 2025 and holding the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2021. She formerly served as the U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. Formerly a Democrat, Gabbard joined the Republican Party in 2024. Prior to her congressional service, she was the youngest state legislator in Hawaii from 2002 to 2004.

Sections (5)

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

April 12, 1981: Tulsi Gabbard Born

On April 12, 1981, Tulsi Gabbard was born in Leloaloa, Maʻopūtasi County, on American Samoa's main island of Tutuila.

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1983: Family Moved Back to Hawaii

In 1983, when Gabbard was two years old, her family moved back to Hawaii, where they had lived in the late 1970s.

1998: Support for Father's Campaign Against Gay Marriage

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

2002: Marriage to Eduardo Tamayo

In 2002, Tulsi Gabbard married Eduardo Tamayo.

2002: Dropped out of Leeward Community College

In 2002, when she was 21, Gabbard dropped out of Leeward Community College to run for election to the Hawaii state legislature, and she became the youngest woman ever elected as a U.S. state representative.

2006: Divorce from Eduardo Tamayo

In 2006, Tulsi Gabbard divorced Eduardo Tamayo, citing the stresses of war on military families as the reason.

March 2007: Graduated from Officer Candidate School

In March 2007, she graduated from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School at the Alabama Military Academy at the top of her class, the first woman ever to do so.

2007: Completed officer training program

In 2007, Gabbard completed the officer training program at the Alabama Military Academy.

2009: Graduated from Hawaii Pacific University

In 2009, Gabbard graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in international business.

2012: Apology for Anti-Gay Advocacy

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

June 2013: Cosponsor of Legislation to Repeal DOMA

In June 2013, Tulsi Gabbard was an initial cosponsor of the legislation to repeal DOMA, and became a member of the House LGBT Equality Caucus.

2013: Support for Easier Path to Citizenship

Between 2013 and 2021, Tulsi Gabbard expressed support for an easier path to citizenship for immigrants without legal status, increasing skilled immigration, and granting work visas to immigrants.

2013: Signing of Amicus Brief Supporting Gay Marriage

In 2013, Tulsi Gabbard signed an amicus brief supporting gay marriage, which contrasted with her earlier association with her father's campaign opposing gay marriage.

2013: Oath of Office with Bhagavad Gita

In 2013, Tulsi Gabbard took the oath of office using her personal copy of the Bhagavad Gita.

2014: Presentation of Bhagavad Gita to Narendra Modi

In 2014, Tulsi Gabbard, as a Congresswoman, presented a copy of the Bhagavad Gita to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the United States and supported his efforts for the United Nations to declare an International Yoga Day.

2015: Marriage to Abraham Williams

In 2015, Tulsi Gabbard married Abraham Williams, a freelance cinematographer and editor, in a traditional Vedic Hindu wedding.

2015: Support for Increased Border Security

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 Syrian immigration into Germany.

2016: Views on Foreign Policy and Military Interventionism

In 2016, Tulsi Gabbard described herself as a hawk "when it comes to the war against terrorists" and a dove "when it comes to counterproductive wars of regime change". She has been a strong supporter of the US military offensive to defeat ISIS and has called for reducing military interventionism by the United States.

2016: Support for Diwali Commemorative Stamp

In 2016, Tulsi Gabbard supported the campaign by Hindu Americans for a Diwali commemorative stamp in the United States, emphasizing the values honored by the festival.

2016: Vote Against GMO-Labeling Bill

In 2016, Tulsi Gabbard voted against a GMO-labeling bill, stating it was too weak, and has supported efforts to reduce routine antibiotic use in livestock and promote organic farming.

2017: Visit to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh

In 2017, Tulsi Gabbard visited Armenia and the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a U.S. lawmaker delegation, resulting in her being blacklisted by Azerbaijan.

October 16, 2018: Honored as Hawaii Pacific University's Distinguished Alumni

On October 16, 2018, Tulsi Gabbard was honored as Hawaii Pacific University's 2018 Paul T. C. Loo Distinguished Alumni.

February 2019: Gabbard Officially Launches 2020 Presidential Campaign

In February 2019, Tulsi Gabbard officially launched her 2020 presidential campaign, becoming the first female combat veteran to run for president.

July 2019: Gabbard Visits Puerto Rico and Joins Protests

In July 2019, Tulsi Gabbard was the only 2020 presidential candidate to visit Puerto Rico and join protests urging Governor Ricardo Rosselló to resign.

October 25, 2019: Gabbard announces she will not seek reelection

On October 25, 2019, Tulsi Gabbard announced that she would not seek reelection in 2020, citing her presidential campaign as the reason.

December 2019: Impeachment Vote and Censure Resolution

In December 2019, Tulsi Gabbard voted "present" during the House of Representatives' vote to impeach President Trump, citing The Federalist Papers essay No. 65. She introduced H. Res. 766 to censure Trump for foreign policy decisions, expressing concerns about the impeachment's impact on the presidential election.

2019: Apology for Past Anti-Gay Views

After launching her presidential campaign in 2019, Tulsi Gabbard apologized for her past anti-gay views, citing her experience in the military as changing her views.

2019: Co-sponsorship of Armenian Genocide Resolution

In 2019, Tulsi Gabbard co-sponsored the Armenian Genocide Resolution to formally recognize and remember the Armenian genocide.

2019: Concerns over Farmer Bankruptcies

In 2019, Tulsi Gabbard expressed concern over farmer bankruptcies and declining farm incomes due to the China–United States trade war, and supported a moratorium on the construction and expansion of concentrated animal feeding operations.

January 2020: Call for Drug Legalization

In January 2020, Tulsi Gabbard called for the legalization and regulation of all drugs, citing Portugal's model, during a response to a question from a voter.

March 3, 2020: Gabbard Earns Delegates in American Samoa

On March 3, 2020, Gabbard earned two delegates in American Samoa, making her the second woman of color and the first Asian-American and Pacific-Islander presidential candidate to earn primary delegates.

March 19, 2020: Gabbard Drops Out of 2020 Election and Endorses Joe Biden

On March 19, 2020, Tulsi Gabbard dropped out of the 2020 election and endorsed former vice president Joe Biden.

June 2020: Amendment on CBD Use by Armed Services

In June 2020, Tulsi Gabbard introduced an amendment to the House version of the 2021 NDAA to allow members of the Armed Services to use products containing CBD and other hemp derivatives, which was approved 336 to 71 as a package.

July 2020: Gabbard Meets with Vanessa Guillén's Family

In July 2020, Gabbard met with the family of Vanessa Guillén, a U.S. Army soldier who was murdered, and advocated for reforms to address military sexual harassment, stating she was "stand[ing] here for Vanessa" and "for her family."

August 2020: Gabbard Advocates for Jennifer Smith

In August 2020, Tulsi Gabbard advocated for Jennifer Smith, a Hawaii Department of Health epidemiologist who reported issues with the state's COVID-19 contact tracing program after she was placed on paid leave.

September 2020: Gabbard Converts Presidential 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. That same month, she also criticized Netflix over the film Cuties, arguing that it contributed to the exploitation of children.

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November 2020: Jennifer Smith Reinstated

In November 2020, Jennifer Smith was reinstated, after Tulsi Gabbard continued to support her.

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, leading to condemnation from LGBTQ organizations.

2020: Participation in Island Music Awards 2020

In 2020, Tulsi Gabbard was a presenter at iHeartRadio Honolulu's virtual festival, Island Music Awards 2020.

2020: Shift in Political Positions

In 2020, while in Democratic presidential primary, Tulsi Gabbard's political positions were liberal on domestic policy issues. After 2020, she shifted to positions more aligned with the Republican Party, including social issues like abortion, gun control, and transgender rights.

2021: Departure from Congress

After her departure from Congress in 2021, Gabbard took more conservative positions on issues.

2021: Support for Easier Path to Citizenship

Between 2013 and 2021, Tulsi Gabbard expressed support for an easier path to citizenship for immigrants without legal status, increasing skilled immigration, and granting work visas to immigrants.

2021: NDAA approval

October 11, 2022: Gabbard Leaves Democratic Party

On October 11, 2022, Tulsi Gabbard announced on Twitter that she was leaving the Democratic Party, criticizing its leadership. Shortly thereafter, she endorsed and campaigned for several Donald Trump-supported Republican candidates in the 2022 midterm elections.

2022: Openness to Border Wall Proposal

By 2022, Tulsi Gabbard stated she would be open to a proposal for a border wall if experts deemed it necessary.

2022: Spoke at CPAC, left Democratic Party

In 2022, Gabbard spoke at the conservative CPAC conference and left the Democratic Party.

2022: Endorsement of Florida Parental Rights in Education Act

In 2022, Tulsi Gabbard endorsed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which restricts discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida public schools. Gabbard argued that the bill bans the indoctrination of "woke sexual values".

2022: Appearance at CPAC

In 2022, Tulsi Gabbard was a featured speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), marking a shift in her political alignment. She also became a frequent critic of the Biden administration.

October 7, 2023: Gabbard Condemns Hamas After Attack on Israel

On October 7, 2023, following Hamas' attack on Israel, Tulsi Gabbard publicly voiced her strong support for Israel, condemning Hamas as an Islamist terrorist organization.

August 30, 2024: Milbank Op-Ed Criticizes Gabbard's Stance on Ukraine Biological Labs

On August 30, 2024, Dana Milbank published an op-ed in the Washington Post criticizing Tulsi Gabbard for allegedly endorsing Russian propaganda by falsely claiming that the United States was funding biological laboratories in Ukraine that could spread dangerous pathogens.

October 22, 2024: Gabbard Announces Joining Republican Party

On October 22, 2024, while speaking at a Trump rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, Tulsi Gabbard announced she was joining the Republican Party.

November 2024: Gabbard's Skepticism on Assad's Actions Reported

In November 2024, the BBC reported that Gabbard had called for evidence to be presented to Congress regarding Assad's use of chemical weapons, highlighting her continued skepticism on the matter.

2024: Endorsed Donald Trump, joined Republican Party

In 2024, Gabbard endorsed Donald Trump for the presidential election and joined the Republican Party later that year.

2024: Discussion of IVF procedures

In 2024, Tulsi Gabbard mentioned that she and Abraham Williams had tried to start a family and had undergone several in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, without success.