Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has officially received the endorsement of Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. Trump’s acknowledgment of her support was marked by a joint appearance in Detroit, Michigan, a pivotal swing state.
Gabbard, who departed the Democratic Party in 2022, has voiced strong criticisms of its direction, particularly its “wokeness.” Since her exit, she has emerged as a familiar presence in conservative media.
The event in Michigan was held to honor U.S. service members who lost their lives in a tragic attack in Afghanistan three years ago, offering Gabbard a platform to critique the Biden administration. The suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul resulted in the deaths of thirteen U.S. service members and over a hundred Afghan civilians amid a chaotic military withdrawal and the Taliban’s resurgence.
Trump described the incident as a “humiliation” that diminished American credibility on the global stage. Earlier that day, he and Gabbard visited Arlington Cemetery to pay tribute to U.S. lives lost in military conflicts.
Gabbard has consistently questioned U.S. military interventions during her congressional tenure from 2013 to 2021. At the Michigan gathering, she called on voters across the political spectrum to support Trump in the upcoming election, framing it as critical for the nation’s future.
This endorsement reflects Gabbard’s significant political evolution over the past decade, transitioning from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party to aligning with Trump. As the first Hindu member of Congress, Gabbard previously served as vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee but resigned to endorse Bernie Sanders’s 2016 campaign.
Gabbard’s 2020 presidential bid highlighted progressive priorities, including healthcare reform and gun control, but ultimately, Joe Biden secured the Democratic nomination and the presidency. Her separation from the party came with a denunciation of what she deemed “cowardly wokeness.”
With Trump set to face Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race, Gabbard warned of a growing threat to American democracy, citing concerns over Trump’s legal challenges from the political left. Speculation regarding her potential candidacy as Trump’s running mate circulated, though that role ultimately went to another candidate.
Since leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard has become a frequent voice in conservative media, facing accusations of propagating divisive narratives, including alleged connections to Russian propaganda.
Her endorsement follows a similar shift from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., another former Democrat who recently suspended his campaign. In response, Democratic leaders dismissed Gabbard’s support, suggesting it represents an alignment with extremist viewpoints that would burden Trump’s campaign.
