“There Is No Force More Powerful Than A Woman Determined To Rise”! For those women who conveniently celebrate courage, building up their own mindset and self-resilience, she believed that she could, so she did. One of the great examples is a well-behaved woman who greatly impacted her own era: Tulsi Gabbard.
There’s no need to find out who she is, because everyone already knows her identity. Those who are unfamiliar, stay with me. I would like to describe her shortly in the next paragraph.
In today’s story about Tulsi Gabbard, I’ll break down her early life, military service, initial steps in politics, congressional career, presidential campaign and ideological shift, major party transition, her current role, and many things. Let’s step into Gabbard’s complete story:
Who is Tulsi Gabbard?
Tulsi Gabbard is known as an American politician, military veteran. As of 2025, she is the director of national intelligence under the Donald Trump administration. She previously served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (2013-2021). This represents Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district.
Gabbard’s political and military trajectory is unusual. She was the first elected to office very young age. She served in the National Guard, including overseas deployments. Her campaign ran for president in 2020. She then shifted her party affiliation, culminating in her current role.
Early Life, Military Service, and Initial Steps in Politics
Roots and Background
Born on April 12, 1981, in Leloaloa, American Samoa, Gabbard is one of five children of Carol Porter Gabbard and Mike Gabbard.
Her family moved to Hawaii in 1983. She was raised there. Her father was Roman Catholic, and her mother embraced Hinduism. Tulsi adopted Hinduism during her teenage years and remains a practicing Hindu.
Her faith has been a consistent personal marker, including taking her oath of office on her copy of the Bhagavad Gita.
Military Dedication
In April 2003, Tulsi Gabbard joined the Hawaii Army National Guard. She served in a medical unit during a deployment to Iraq (2004-05). Later, she is in a counter‐terrorism role in Kuwait.
Her military service added a different layer to her political identity as a combat veteran.
First Elected Office (2002-2012)
At age 21, in 2002, Gabbard won election to the Hawaii House of Representatives (District 42). She became the youngest person ever elected to Hawaii’s legislature. At the time, the youngest woman elected to any U.S. state legislature.
She served from 2002-04. With her term cut short as she deployed for military service. Then, in 2010, she was elected to the Honolulu City Council.
Congressional Career (2013-2021)
Election to Congress (2012)
In 2012, Gabbard ran for and won the U.S. House seat for Hawaii’s 2nd District. She took office in January 2013.
At that time, she became the first Hindu member of Congress. Also, she became the first American‐Samoan member of the House.
DNC Vice Chair and 2016 Endorsement
After entering Congress, Gabbard was elected Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee in 2013.
In 2016, Tulsi Gabbard resigned from that position to support Democrat Bernie Sanders for President. This move surprised many and highlighted her growing independence within the party.
Congressional Focus and Key Policy Stances
During her time in Congress, Gabbard positioned herself as somewhat of a maverick Democrat. On domestic matters, she supported gun control, abortion rights, and universal health care early in her congressional career.
On foreign policy, however, she frequently separated from the mainstream Democratic view. She adopted a non-interventionist posture that calls for the U.S. to withdraw from specific overseas competitions.
Notably, in 2020, she and a Republican congressman introduced the “Protect Women’s Sports Act” to determine Title IX protections by biological sex. This move attracted criticism from LGBT advocates.
2020 Presidential Campaign and Ideological Shift
Campaign Launch and Platform
Tulsi Gabbard announced her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination in early 2019.
Her platform highlighted getting “a soldier’s values and principles to the White House”. It focuses on dignity, respect, and love for the country.
Her foreign policy perspective stayed anti-interventionist. Also, her economic views were populist.
Notable Debate Moments and Campaign Suspension
Although she gained some media attention and went to debate rounds. Her polling remained in a 1-2 percent range, and she worked to break out.
On March 19, 2020, she broke her campaign and supported Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee.
Growing Discontent with the Democratic Party
Following the primary, Tulsi Gabbard increasingly distanced herself from the Democratic Party’s trajectory. She charged what she felt were its arrogant tendencies, especially in foreign policy. This marked the start of a sustained, unrealistic shift for her.
The Major Party Transition: Independent to Republican (2022-Present)
Departure from the Democratic Party (2022)
In October 2022, Gabbard left the Democratic Party. She said it had become “an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness”. She spent time as an independent before formally switching party affiliation.
Movement to the Right
After leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard began appearing more frequently on traditional media platforms. They are criticizing her former party and aligning with the details of the traditional foreign-policy view.
Joining the Republican Party (2024)
In 2024, Gabbard officially joined the Republican Party. She supported Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. She aligns herself with the “party of the people and the party of peace,” in her view.
US Director of National Intelligence: Current Role (2025-Present)
DNI Nomination and Confirmation
In early 2025, President Donald Trump appointed Tulsi Gabbard to act as Director of National Intelligence. She was approved by the U.S. Senate on February 12, 2025, in a 52-48 vote.
Her confirmation was controversial due to her lack of a traditional intelligence background. It concerns past comments about Russia and Syria.
Responsibilities and Tenure
As DNI, Gabbard oversees the U.S. intelligence community, including 18 agencies, and serves as the President’s principal intelligence adviser.
Since taking office, her actions have led to major restructuring actions within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). She emphasized reducing smelled “politicization” of intelligence. She refocused on border protection, counterterrorism, and counternarcotics.
Future Political Trajectory
Gabbard’s move into a top national-security post signals both her personal reinvention and the evolving alignment of her political identity. Whether she remains a technocratic figure in intelligence or uses this role for further political purposes remains to be seen, but her journey so far indicates she stays unapologetically independent of the traditional party molds.
Conclusion
Tulsi Gabbard’s story is one of transformation: from a young state legislator in Hawaii to a military veteran, from rising star of the Democratic Party to presidential candidate. And ultimately to a Republican-aligned national-security official heading the U.S. intelligence community.
At each stage, she has made bold choices—volunteer combat deployments. She resigned from party leadership, switching party affiliation and stepping into an intelligence role despite criticism. Her career reflects a fusion of service, idealism, political pragmatism, and personal reinvention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Tulsi Gabbard born?
She was born in Leloaloa, American Samoa, on April 12, 1981.
What is her military background?
She served in the Hawaii Army National Guard starting in 2003. She deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and served in the Army Reserve.
When did she first hold elected office?
In 2002, she was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives. She is becoming the youngest person ever in that body at age 21.
Why did she leave the Democratic Party?
Gabbard mentioned that the party had morphed into an elitist and warmongering institution driven by “wokeness,” which she said conflicted with her values.
