These days, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, aligns closely with President Donald Trump, even helping craft a false intelligence report to support investigations of his opponents. But not long ago, Gabbard was a vocal critic of Trump, condemning him as a warmonger supporting a “genocidal war” to boost arms sales and backing dangerous policies to favor Al Qaeda.

As a Democratic House member from Hawaii and a founding fellow of the Bernie Sanders Institute, she sharply criticized Trump during his first term. In 2018, she accused Trump of pursuing policies motivated by profit, such as backing Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen to protect US arms sales worth billions. She condemned the US’s involvement in “regime-change wars” in Iraq and Afghanistan, and highlighted Yemen’s humanitarian catastrophe caused by US support for Saudi bombing campaigns.

Gabbard described the Yemen conflict as an “illegal war,” criticizing US refueling of Saudi warplanes and supply of missiles used in attacks on civilians. She demanded that the US cease military support for Saudi Arabia, condemning the profits-driven motives behind ongoing atrocities.

On Syria, she opposed military threats against Assad and accused Trump of betraying American values by protecting Al Qaeda-controlled territories. She claimed the US tacitly supported terrorist groups to prolong the conflict, suggesting that removing Al Qaeda from Idlib would end the war. Her views aligned with a controversial perspective that the US, backed by Saudi and Turkish support, fomented chaos to justify continued intervention.

Gabbard openly challenged the official narrative, questioning international reports of chemical attacks by Assad and holding secret meetings with him. Her stance drew ire from critics, branding her an Assad apologist. She also criticized Trump for mimicking aggressive military policies, alleging he was eager for praise and war headlines to boost approval ratings.

Throughout 2018–2019, she engaged with progressive causes like Medicare for All and environmental protections while maintaining her unconventional foreign policy views. But after her failed presidential bid and subsequent party departure, Gabbard shifted her endorsements—culminating in her support for Trump in 2024, praising his purported pursuit of peace while ignoring his backing of war crimes and alliances with former critics.