Tulsi Gabbard facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Tulsi Gabbard
Gabbard in 2025

8th Director of National Intelligence
Incumbent
Assumed office February 12, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Deputy	Alexa Henning
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) 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 (born April 12, 1981) is an American politician and military officer. She became the 8th Director of National Intelligence in 2025. This role means she leads 18 U.S. intelligence agencies and advises the President on intelligence matters.

Gabbard holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Before her current role, she served as a U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. She was a member of the Democratic Party but joined the Republican Party in 2024.

When she was 21, Gabbard became the youngest state legislator in Hawaii from 2002 to 2004. She is also the first Samoan American to serve in the U.S. Congress and the Cabinet.

Early Life and Education

Tulsi Gabbard was born on April 12, 1981, in Leloaloa, American Samoa. When she was two, her family moved to Hawaii. She was named after Tulasi, a sacred plant in Hinduism.

Gabbard grew up in a diverse family. Her mother was from Indiana, and her father, Mike Gabbard, has Samoan and European roots. He was born in American Samoa.

She was mostly homeschooled and spent two years at a girls' school in the Philippines. She learned about spiritual ideas like karma from the ancient Indian text, the Bhagavad Gita. As a teenager, she chose to follow the Hindu faith.

In 2002, at age 21, Gabbard left Leeward Community College to run for the Hawaii state legislature. She won, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to a U.S. state legislature. In 2009, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University.

Military Service

Gabbard being promoted to major in 2015.

In April 2003, while serving in the Hawaii State Legislature, Gabbard joined the Hawaii Army National Guard. In July 2004, she was sent to Iraq for a 12-month tour. She worked as a specialist in a medical unit. She completed her tour in 2005 and received the Combat Medical Badge.

In March 2007, Gabbard finished the officer training program at the Alabama Military Academy. She was the first woman to finish at the top of her class. She became a second lieutenant and served as an Army Military Police officer in Kuwait from 2008 to 2009.

On October 12, 2015, she was promoted from captain to major. In June 2020, she moved to the United States Army Reserve. On July 4, 2021, she was promoted to lieutenant colonel. She was working as a civil affairs officer in the Horn of Africa at the time.

Early Political Career

Hawaii House of Representatives (2002–2004)

In 2002, Gabbard won the election for the 42nd district of the Hawaii House of Representatives. She was 21, making her the youngest legislator ever elected in Hawaii.

In 2004, she decided not to run for reelection because she volunteered for Army National Guard service in Iraq.

Honolulu City Council (2011–2012)

After returning from her second deployment in 2009, Gabbard ran for a seat on the Honolulu City Council. She won the election in November 2010.

On the City Council, Gabbard worked on local issues. She introduced a plan to help food truck vendors. She also introduced a bill that allowed city workers to remove personal items left on public property after giving notice.

United States House of Representatives (2013–2021)

Gabbard during the 113th Congress.

In 2011, Gabbard decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district. She won the primary election and then the general election in 2012. She became the first voting Samoan American and first Hindu member of Congress.

In March 2013, she introduced the Helping Heroes Fly Act. This bill aimed to make airport security faster for severely wounded veterans. It passed and was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Gabbard was reelected in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Key Actions in Congress

She worked with Senator Mazie Hirono to give the Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino and Filipino American veterans of World War II. This bill became law in 2016.
In 2015, she introduced Talia's Law to prevent child abuse on military bases. This law was passed in 2016.
In 2017, she introduced the Off Fossil Fuels (OFF) Act. This bill aimed for the U.S. to use 100% clean energy by 2035.
In 2018, she introduced the Securing America's Election Act. This bill required all voting districts to use paper ballots for easier checks.
In 2018, she and Representative Walter Jones introduced the No More Presidential Wars Act. This bill aimed to make sure Congress had the power to declare war.

On October 25, 2019, Gabbard announced she would not seek reelection in 2020. She wanted to focus on her presidential campaign.

House Committee Assignments

During her time in Congress, Gabbard served on several important committees:

Committee on Armed Services (2013–2021): This committee deals with military funding and readiness.
Committee on Foreign Affairs (2013–2019): This committee handles international relations.
Committee on Financial Services (2019–2021): This committee focuses on financial issues.

Democratic National Committee (DNC)

On January 22, 2013, Gabbard was chosen as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). In 2016, she resigned from this role to support Bernie Sanders for president.

2020 Presidential Campaign

Gabbard campaigning for president in San Francisco.

In February 2019, Tulsi Gabbard officially started her campaign for president in 2020. She was the first female combat veteran to run for president. Her campaign focused on an anti-interventionist foreign policy and populist economic ideas.

Gabbard was a popular candidate online, being the most searched candidate after some of the debates. She earned two delegates in American Samoa, making her the first Asian-American and Pacific-Islander woman to earn primary delegates. On March 19, 2020, she ended her campaign and supported Joe Biden.

Post-Congressional Activities (2021–2025)

After leaving Congress in January 2021, Gabbard started her own podcast, This is Tulsi Gabbard. She also appeared on news programs, sharing her views on politics.

Changing Political Parties

On October 11, 2022, Gabbard announced she was leaving the Democratic Party. She then supported several Republican candidates in the 2022 midterm elections.

In 2024, people wondered if she might be a running mate for Donald Trump in the presidential election. On August 26, 2024, Gabbard officially supported Trump's reelection campaign. The next day, she was named an honorary co-chair of his transition team. On October 22, 2024, she announced she was joining the Republican Party.

Director of National Intelligence (2025–Present)

Nomination and Confirmation

On November 13, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump chose Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). He mentioned her military experience and leadership skills.

Gabbard spoke before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on January 30, 2025. She promised to keep her political views separate from her official duties. The Senate confirmed her nomination on February 12, 2025, with a vote of 52-48.

Tenure

Gabbard being sworn in by Attorney General Pam Bondi in February 2025.

Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as the 8th Director of National Intelligence on February 12, 2025. She is now in charge of leading 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. She is also the President's main advisor on intelligence.

With this role, she became the first female military combat veteran to serve as DNI. She is also the first Pacific Islander American and first Hindu American to hold a Cabinet-level position.

Domestic Policy Positions

While in Congress, Gabbard had moderate views on many domestic issues. After 2020, she started to take more conservative positions. This included topics like gun control and transgender rights.

Immigration

In 2015, Gabbard supported stronger border security. She also voted with Republicans to check Iraqi and Syrian refugees more carefully. She also called for stopping a visa program until the threat of terrorist attacks was resolved.

However, between 2013 and 2021, she also supported easier ways for immigrants without legal status to become citizens. By 2022, she said she would consider a border wall if experts thought it was needed.

Environment

Gabbard has often supported the rights of Native Americans and their lands. For example, she supported the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016.

She also helped pass a change to a defense law. This change required checking the safety of the Runit Dome. This is a leaking nuclear waste site in the Marshall Islands.

Gabbard has supported a Green New Deal. She also created her own bill, the "Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act" ("OFF Act"). This bill aimed to move the United States to renewable energy.

Healthcare

Gabbard supported a national healthcare program to help people who did not have insurance. She has since supported a "Single Payer Plus" healthcare plan. This plan is similar to Australia's system. It allows for both extra and similar private insurance.

She also worked to bring back Medicaid for people from the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. These people live and work in the United States.

First Impeachment of Donald Trump

When the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump in December 2019, Gabbard voted "present." This means she did not vote for or against the impeachment. She said her vote was a protest against what she called a "political zero-sum game".

Personal Life

Gabbard in 2012, wearing a lei.

Gabbard has lived in Hawaii for most of her life and enjoys surfing. She practices morning yoga and meditation. She is a vegetarian.

She grew up with Hindu values and follows the Vaishnava tradition. She considers the Bhagavad Gita her spiritual guide. In 2013, she took her oath of office with her personal copy of the Bhagavad Gita.

Gabbard has worked to help military veterans. She also takes part in Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights. She supported the campaign for a Diwali stamp in the United States.

In 2002, Gabbard married Eduardo Tamayo. They divorced in 2006. She said the difficulties of war on military families were a reason for the divorce.

In 2015, Gabbard married Abraham Williams. He is a freelance cinematographer and editor. Their wedding was a traditional Vedic Hindu wedding.

Gabbard has a deep appreciation for Hawaiian culture and its Aloha spirit. She often greets people with "Aloha," which means "I come to you with respect and with love."

Awards and Honors

On November 25, 2013, Gabbard received the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award. This was for her work helping veterans.
On March 20, 2014, Elle magazine honored Gabbard on its "Women in Washington Power List."
On February 26, 2015, she received the National Association of Counties County Alumni Award. This was for her commitment to the nation's counties.
On July 15, 2015, Gabbard received the Friend of the National Parks Award. This was from the National Parks Conservation Association.
On October 16, 2018, she was honored as Hawaii Pacific University's 2018 Paul T. C. Loo Distinguished Alumni.

Images for kids

Tulsi Gabbard 2020 presidential campaign logo
Gabbard speaking at a National Guard conference in 2013.
Gabbard with fellow House Democrats to demand gun safety measures.
Gabbard at a Young Americans for Liberty event in 2022.