Tulsi Gabbard

Tulsi Gabbard
Official portrait, 2025
8th Director of National Intelligence
Incumbent
Assumed office February 12, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Avril Haines
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 2nd district
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Mazie Hirono
Succeeded by	Kai Kahele
Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office January 22, 2013 – February 27, 2016
Chair	Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Preceded by	Mike Honda
Succeeded by	Grace Meng
Member of the Honolulu City Council from the 6th district
In office January 2, 2011 – August 16, 2012
Preceded by	Rod Tam
Succeeded by	Carol Fukunaga
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 42nd district
In office November 5, 2002 – November 2, 2004
Preceded by	Mark Moses
Succeeded by	Rida Cabanilla
Personal details
Born	(1981-04-12) April 12, 1981 (age 44) Leloaloa, American Samoa
Political party	Republican (2024–present)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (2002–2022)[1] Independent (2022–2024)
Spouses	Eduardo Tamayo ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2006)​ Abraham Williams ​ (m. 2015)​
Parent	Mike Gabbard (father)
Relatives	Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard (aunt)
Education	Leeward Community College (attended) Hawaii Pacific University (BS)
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army U.S. Army Reserve
Years of service	2003–present
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands	440th Civil Affairs Battalion
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal (2) Army Achievement Medal (2) Army Good Conduct Medal Combat Medical Badge
Tulsi Gabbard's voice Gabbard speaks in support of the recognition of the Armenian genocide Recorded October 31, 2019

This article is part of a series about Tulsi Gabbard
Politics Political positions Electoral history 2020 presidential campaign Primaries U.S. Representative from Hawaii's 2nd district Congressional career CPC Stop Arming Terrorists Act No More Presidential Wars Act INF Treaty Compliance Act 2012 election 2014 reelection 2016 reelection 2018 reelection 8th Director of National Intelligence Confirmation Tenure group chat leak Trump administration Trump's foreign policy
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Tulsi Gabbard (/ˈtʌlsi ˈɡæbərd/; born April 12, 1981) is an American politician and military officer serving since 2025 as the 8th director of national intelligence (DNI). She has held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2021, and previously served as U.S. representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. A former Democrat, she joined the Republican Party in 2024. Gabbard was the youngest state legislator in Hawaii from 2002 to 2004.

Gabbard joined the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003 and was deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005, where she served as a specialist with the medical unit, and received the Combat Medical Badge. In 2007, Gabbard completed the officer training program at the Alabama Military Academy. She went to Kuwait in 2008 as an Army Military Police officer. In 2015, while also serving in Congress, Gabbard became a major with the Hawaii Army National Guard. In 2020, she transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2021.

In 2012, Gabbard was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 2nd congressional district. She became the first Samoan American and Hindu American member of U.S. Congress. During her tenure in Congress, she served on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), where she introduced several bills related to veteran issues. Gabbard also served on House Foreign Affairs Committee. She supported the military campaign to defeat Islamic extremism but opposed the U.S. intervention in the Syrian civil war. In her fourth term, Gabbard served on the HASC Subcommittee on Intelligence, which oversaw military intelligence and counterterrorism.

Gabbard launched her 2020 presidential campaign running on an anti-interventionist and populist platform but dropped out and endorsed Joe Biden in March 2020. Previously, she also served as vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2013 to 2016 but resigned to endorse Bernie Sanders for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. After her departure from Congress in 2021, Gabbard took stances on issues such as abortion, foreign policy, border security and transgender rights that differed significantly from her former Democratic colleagues. She left the Democratic Party in 2022.

In 2024, Gabbard endorsed Donald Trump for the presidential election and joined the Republican Party later that year. After Trump nominated Gabbard for DNI, her past statements on Syria and the Russian invasion of Ukraine drew scrutiny and concern. Many veterans and Republicans defended Gabbard's record, noting her military service and Congressional experience. In February 2025, she was confirmed by the Senate, becoming the highest-ranking Pacific Islander American government official in U.S. history. Gabbard is the youngest person to serve as DNI and the first millennial to hold the office.