If there’s one thing Washington loves, it’s predictability. Establishment politicians play their part, toe the line, and ensure the balance of power remains undisturbed. And then there’s Tulsi Gabbard—a wildcard who started as a progressive darling, burned bridges with the Democratic Party, became a right-wing favorite, and somehow, in the ultimate plot twist, ended up running America’s intelligence community.
Her confirmation as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is one of the most jaw-dropping developments in modern American politics, sparking panic among the Washington elite and sending the Deep State into an existential crisis. The objections were loud and numerous: her meetings with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, her Russia-friendly talking points, her history of attacking America’s foreign policy establishment, and her unpredictable political transformation.
So how did Tulsi Gabbard go from an obscure member of a fringe religious sect to the most powerful intelligence official in the US government? Buckle up.
The Cult
Gabbard’s story begins in a place far removed from Washington: Leloaloa, American Samoa. Her father, Mike Gabbard, a fiery social conservative, moved the family to Hawaii, where they became closely associated with the Science of Identity Foundation, a secretive religious group led by Chris Butler.
The group’s critics have described it as a “cult,” known for strict obedience, an obsession with purity, and an intense devotion to Butler, who considers himself a divine guru. While Gabbard has denied direct involvement in the group’s most extreme practices, former members claim she grew up deeply influenced by its ideology.
She first entered politics at age 21, winning a seat in the Hawaii State Legislature in 2002, running as a social conservative who vehemently opposed same-sex marriage and abortion rights. But Gabbard’s real transformation began after joining the military.
A Soldier Turned Maverick Politician
In 2004, Gabbard deployed to Iraq as part of the Hawaii Army National Guard. She later served in Kuwait, working with a counterterrorism task force. This experience, she claims, shaped her foreign policy views—leading her to become one of the most vocal critics of America’s interventionist wars.
By 2012, she was back in politics, winning a seat in Congress as a Democrat. She quickly became a rising star: young, charismatic, and the first Hindu in Congress. She endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016, making headlines by resigning from the Democratic National Committee in protest against its bias toward Hillary Clinton.
Then things started to get… weird.
The Assad Meeting and the Russia Connection
In 2017, Gabbard made a “fact-finding” trip to Syria, where she met with Bashar al-Assad. This wasn’t some casual diplomatic handshake—this was a high-profile sit-down with a dictator accused of using chemical weapons on his own people. The trip was reportedly arranged by members of a pro-Assad Lebanese political party, further raising eyebrows.
Gabbard’s refusal to label Assad an enemy of the US and her push to end American support for Syrian rebels earned her widespread condemnation. Critics accused her of legitimizing a brutal dictator. She defended the trip, saying Americans deserved to hear “the other side of the story.”
But it didn’t stop there.
Gabbard’s rhetoric on Russia also stood out. She consistently criticized US involvement in Ukraine and opposed sanctions on Moscow, which led to speculation about her ties to Vladimir Putin’s regime. Russian state media lavished praise on her, and in 2019, Hillary Clinton infamously suggested Gabbard was being “groomed” by foreign powers—possibly Russia—to run as a third-party spoiler. The claim, while never substantiated, fueled endless speculation about her allegiances.
The Democratic Party Divorce
By 2020, Gabbard was fully at odds with the Democratic establishment. Her presidential campaign was an odd mix of progressive economic policies, libertarian-leaning foreign policy, and culture war takes that seemed designed to appeal to conservatives.
She torched Kamala Harris in a viral debate moment, slammed identity politics, and ended her campaign with a rare endorsement of Joe Biden—though few in the Democratic Party believed she meant it.
By 2022, she had officially left the party, calling Democrats a “woke, elitist cabal” more interested in “dragging us into wars” than serving the people. She became a Fox News fixture, filling in as a guest host for Tucker Carlson, railing against “the Deep State,” and warning of the dangers of a “globalist elite.”
From Biden Critic to MAGAvenger
After breaking ties with the Democratic Party, Gabbard found herself in an unusual position: a former progressive now embraced by the populist right. Her criticism of “woke ideology,” her military credentials, and her relentless attacks on Kamala Harris made her an instant hit with Trump’s base. During the 2024 presidential campaign, she unofficially became Trump’s secret weapon, prepping him for debates against Harris and hammering home his anti-war messaging. Unlike other MAGA surrogates, she brought a unique credibility—she wasn’t a career Republican, yet she fiercely opposed the same institutions MAGA wanted dismantled. Her role as an independent outsider in Trump’s “MAGA-vengers” team—alongside figures like JD Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy—cemented her status as a key player in the new populist coalition.
Enter Trump: The Intelligence Community’s Worst Nightmare
President Donald Trump stands with Tulsi Gabbard and her husband Abraham Williams after she was sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington. AP/PTI
When Trump returned to power in 2024, he needed an intelligence chief who wouldn’t play by the old establishment rules. Gabbard, with her military background, skepticism of the intelligence community, and outsider status, was the perfect pick.
Her nomination for DNI triggered an all-out war in Washington.
The objections were immediate:
- Her meeting with Assad: Critics questioned whether she could be trusted with America’s most sensitive intelligence after cozying up to a dictator.
- Her Russia-friendly stance: With ongoing tensions in Ukraine, many saw her as too soft on Putin.
- Her attacks on the intelligence community: She had spent years blasting the CIA and FBI, accusing them of fueling endless wars and undermining democracy. Now, she was about to be their boss.
Despite these concerns, Trump’s MAGA wing rallied behind her, and the Republican Senate majority ensured her confirmation with a 52-48 vote. Only one Republican—Mitch McConnell—broke ranks, calling her “an unreliable steward of America’s intelligence operations.”
Why the Deep State Hates Her
Gabbard’s appointment isn’t just controversial—it’s a direct attack on Washington’s intelligence establishment.
The Deep State—the term often used to describe the entrenched power structure within the intelligence and military-industrial complex—has long viewed Gabbard as a threat. She opposes regime-change wars, wants to limit US involvement abroad, and isn’t afraid to call out the intelligence community’s past mistakes (Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya—the list goes on).
Her critics fear that she’ll weaken America’s global influence by shifting intelligence priorities away from traditional adversaries and toward domestic concerns like border security and government overreach. Her allies, on the other hand, see her as a much-needed disruptor who will finally rein in the unchecked power of the intelligence community.
What Happens Next?
Gabbard’s tenure as DNI is just beginning, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. She will have access to the nation’s most classified intelligence, oversee America’s spy agencies, and influence how the country responds to foreign and domestic threats. One thing is for sure—Tulsi Gabbard’s story isn’t over. If her career has taught us anything, it’s that she thrives on unpredictability. And in a world where former cult members can become America’s top spy, anything is possible.
