Who is Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s ‘fearless’ Hindu pick to oversee US intelligence?

US President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Democrat-turned-Republican Tulsi Gabbard to serve as the director of national intelligence (DNI) in his incoming administration. Gabbard will oversee and direct the implementation of the intelligence program and act as the top intelligence advisor to the US president on matters related to national security.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!” Trump said in a statement.

Gabbard posted on X, “Thank you, @realDonaldTrump, for the opportunity to serve as a member of your cabinet to defend the safety, security and freedom of the American people. I look forward to getting to work.”

Who is Tulsi Gabbard?

Tulsi Gabbard’s career has been anything but conventional, and now, as the next DNI, she brings a unique background that breaks the mould of previous intelligence chiefs.

Born in American Samoa and raised in Hawaii, Gabbard made history as the first Hindu and American Samoan elected to the US House of Representatives. However, her political career was briefly interrupted when her National Guard unit was deployed to Iraq. When she returned and was later elected to Congress, Gabbard made history again. She was the first Hindu member of the House, famously taking her oath on the Bhagavad Gita, and became a visible advocate for veterans’ issues and military accountability.

But her journey through politics has always been marked by her willingness to break away from party lines and push back against what she sees as misguided leadership.

During her time in Congress, Gabbard became a popular figure on the progressive left. She endorsed Bernie Sanders during the 2016 primaries, criticising the Democratic Party’s handling of foreign policy and its support for military interventions.

In 2020, she launched her own bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, hoping to bring a strong anti-war platform to the national stage.

But after dropping out and briefly supporting Joe Biden, Gabbard began to feel disillusioned with her party. In 2022, she officially left the Democrats, describing them as “elitist” and overly focused on what she called “woke” ideology.

Gabbard’s journey has led her to endorse several high-profile Republicans, become a regular on Fox News, and host a podcast where she talks about everything from foreign policy to freedom of speech. Her shift has attracted a new wave of supporters, who see her as a bridge between disaffected liberals and conservative voters.

She’s even joined Trump on the campaign trail, recently announcing her switch to the Republican Party and doubling down on her critiques of today’s Democratic Party.

If confirmed, she’ll be taking over from Avril Haines, a veteran in the intelligence world who brought years of national security experience to the role.

Her critics point out that she hasn’t held the intelligence or senior government roles traditionally associated with the Director of National Intelligence.

Gabbard’s appointment comes as Trump promises to make sweeping changes to the intelligence sector, which he’s long seen as part of a “deep state” resistant to his leadership. He’s vowed to root out “corrupt actors” in the intelligence apparatus and to overhaul agencies he claims have been “weaponised” against him. For Gabbard, this could mean a chance to lead a dramatic shake-up of a community typically steeped in longstanding protocols and institutional stability.

As DNI, Gabbard would oversee 18 intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA.