Tulsi Gabbard

Tulsi Gabbard

ABOUT

Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and United States Army Reserve officer who served as the U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Gabbard was notable for her unique political views and her willingness to cross party lines on certain issues. Gabbard gained national attention when she ran for the Democratic nomination for President in the 2020 primaries. Her campaign emphasized non-interventionist foreign policy, criminal justice reform, and environmental conservation.

BEFORE FAME

Tulsi Gabbard was born on April 12, 1981, in Leloaloa, American Samoa. She was raised in a multicultural household, which significantly influenced her world view. The Gabbard family later moved to Hawaii, where Tulsi graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2009. She first entered politics at the young age of 21, becoming the youngest person ever elected to the Hawaii State Legislature in 2002. Parallel to her early political career, Gabbard enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard and served two tours of duty in the Middle East, which deeply impacted her perspectives on foreign policy.

TRIVIA

• Gabbard was the first Hindu member of the United States Congress.
• She is known for her advocacy of LGBTQ+ rights, having previously held more conservative views early in her career.
• Gabbard’s decision to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017 drew widespread attention and criticism.
• She was a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) but resigned in 2016 to endorse Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination.

FAMILY LIFE

Tulsi Gabbard’s father, Mike Gabbard, is a Hawaii state senator, and her mother, Carol Porter Gabbard, was a member of the Hawaii State Board of Education. Tulsi is of Samoan and European descent and was raised in a multicultural family. She has five siblings. In 2015, Tulsi married Abraham Williams, a cinematographer and avid outdoorsman. The couple often shares a strong bond over their mutual love for surfing and the ocean.

ASSOCIATED WITH

Tulsi Gabbard is associated with several high-profile political figures and organizations. She is a close ally of Senator Bernie Sanders, having endorsed him during the 2016 and 2020 Democratic primaries. She has also worked closely with veterans' groups, advocating for issues such as PTSD treatment and veterans' healthcare. Gabbard has appeared on major media outlets like "The Joe Rogan Experience" and "Tucker Carlson Tonight," where she discussed her foreign policy views and critique of the U.S. military-industrial complex.

This article provides a concise overview of Tulsi Gabbard's life, career, and key associations, based on the information from her Wikipedia page.