The 45th and the upcoming 47th President of the United States Donald Trump, has tapped on the shoulders of a former Democrat, and the first-ever Hindu Congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard to serve as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in his upcoming term. Tulsi Gabbard, a prominent figure in U.S. politics, served four terms in Congress and was the 2020 presidential candidate. Tulsi has a distinguished military background that includes three deployments to conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa. She left the Democratic Party back in 2022 and went up to officially join the Republican Party in October 2024 at Trump’s campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Trump praised Gabbard’s commitment to national service in his announcement to appoint Tulsi as the Director of National Intelligence. He wrote, “I am pleased to announce that former Congresswoman, Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard, will serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans. As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican! 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!”
https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1856809713331310947
The appointment of Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence should make both the Hindu and the Indian communities proud of her. Also, her being elevated to a high office is significant for the Hindu community in their fight against Hinduphobia.
Tulsi Gabbard’s strong connection with the Hindu and Indian community
Taking the oath on Srimad Bhagwad Geeta
Tulsi Gabbard, now 43 was born in American Samoa and raised in Hawaii, also spent part of her early years in the Philippines. Her mother embraced Hinduism and her Catholic Father Samoan followed in his wife’s footsteps in reverting to Hinduism. Tulsi was raised with deeply Hindu religious values. She began her political career early, being elected to Hawaii’s House of Representatives at the age of 21. After her first term, she paused her political journey to deploy with her National Guard unit in Iraq. Later, she returned to politics and won a seat in Congress representing Hawaii, where she made history as the first Hindu member of the U.S. House, taking her oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita. She was also the first American Samoan to be elected to Congress.
Giving Bhagwad Geeta as a gift to PM Modi
Back in September 2014, upon Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. Congresswoman, met the Prime Minister in New York, where she gifted him with her personal copy of the Bhagavad Gita. This was the same Gita she held during her Congressional oath and relied upon for strength while serving in the Middle East.
https://x.com/TulsiGabbard/status/516256456866541568
After the meeting, Gabbard expressed on social media that gifting her personal Gita symbolized her deep affection for India, its people, and the Prime Minister. She described the gift as a “personal sacrifice” of something dear to her. Gabbard also attended Modi’s Madison Square Garden reception hosted by Indian-Americans, where she praised his message of peace and friendship. She also stood firm to support the Indian Prime Minister’s proposal for International Yoga Day.
Unapologetic Hindu
Back in 2019, when Tulsi Gabbard announced her run for the President of the United States, she had to face religious bigotry, racism, and stereotypes of the worst forms. In an op-ed with ReligionNews, she mentioned the kind of racism and religious bigotry she had to suffer but the racism could not undermine her fighting spirit and love for Hinduism. She called herself a proud Hindu and also mentioned the fact of how Bhagwat Geeta guides her commitment to public service.
She said, “I am proud to be the first Hindu American to have been elected to Congress and now the first Hindu American to run for president. After my 2012 election, I made a personal decision to take my congressional oath of office on the supreme Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna’s teachings have provided wisdom and spiritual solace to me throughout my life, including when I was serving our country in the Middle East during the Iraq war.” She also highlighted the discrimination and racism the Hindu Americans have to go through daily solely because of their faith.
Highlighted Kashmiri Pandit Genocide and stand against Article 370
During the abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian Government, when Tulsi was asked in the media for her remarks, she did not cater to the old Islamist propaganda of Muslims being suppressed in Kashmir but was bold enough to highlight factors that are often deliberately faded by the Islamo-leftist agenda. In her remarks, she highlighted the exodus and the suffering the Kashmiri Pandits had to go through. She appealed to the people to go through the complex history of Kashmir and not half-baked opinions. She also subtly criticized Article 370 and mentioned the discriminatory policies the region earlier had that historically limited rights, particularly those of women.
Bashing Islamist Journalist
Well, Tulsi Gabbard is good at bashing the Hinduphobic propaganda Journalists too. In 2019, the notorious Islamist Propaganda Journalist Rana Ayyub tried to peddle fake news citing an article that said “Tulsi Gabbard Refuses Invitation to ‘Howdy Modi’ Event in Texas”.
Taking to X, the propaganda journalist wrote, “Tulsi Gabbard refuses invitation to attend Howdy Modi event in Houston..What a turnaround. Where does this leave her Indian fanboys”, Rana was having a good dance until Tulsi came in.
The US Congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard debunked the fake news Rana tried to peddle and mentioned categorically that she is not attending the Houston event due to previously scheduled presidential campaign events. However, she is hoping to meet PM Modi on his visit to discuss the importance of maintaining the strong partnership of the world’s oldest & largest democracies.
Spreading the message of Bhagwad Geeta
During the difficult year of the COVID-19 pandemic 2020, Tulsi Gabbard came with a special message for everyone on Janmashtami. On Janmashtami, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard shared a heartfelt message invoking Lord Krishna, calling it the “perfect time to reflect on his sublime instructions, a transcendental lifeline.”
She emphasized the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita and noted that Krishna’s teachings provide guidance and hope, helping us anchor ourselves amid life’s turbulent changes. Reflecting on the eternal perspective of life, Bhagwad Geeta offers peace and stability.
Highlighting the persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus in the world
Back in April 2021, Tulsi Gabbard through her video came to the forefront to highlight the persecution the Hindus of Bangladesh go through daily. Not only did she highlight the ongoing persecution in the video but also mentioned how in 1971, the Pakistani Army launched genocide of Bangladeshi Hindus systematically murdering Hindu men and raping women only due to their religion and ethnicity.
Hindus & religious minorities in Bangladesh continue to be targeted & persecuted, as they have been since 1971 when the Pakistani army systematically murdered, raped & drove from their homes millions of Bengali Hindus because of their religion & ethnicity. pic.twitter.com/4DVWibzrkT
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) April 2, 2021
She mentioned the concerning fall of the Bangladeshi Hindu Population which used to be more than 33 percent back in early 1900 but now has got limited to only 8 percent of the total Bangladesh’s population. Tulsi also stated the sad state of affairs for Hindus in Pakistan and Afghanistan and urged her viewers to fight against the Islamist ideology that sees every non muslim as vulnerable to persecution. Tulsi was also the one who as a member of Congress introduced a resolution for the protection of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
Condemning the Bangladeshi Hindu Genocide
Also, in October 2021, when the Islamists of Bangladesh unleashed genocide upon the minority Hindus of Bangladesh during Durga Puja, Tulsi Gabbard was the only strong voice that came from the United States condemning the Bangladeshi Hindu genocide. She posted a video across her social media handles strongly condemning the violence against the minority Hindus.
(3) … to protect that country’s religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, from the jihadist forces of hate.
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) October 20, 2021
She wrote, “It broke my heart to see such hate and violence directed towards devotees of God in their temples in Bangladesh. For these jihadists to believe it’s pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples and the murti of such a saintly person as his Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, shows just how far away from God they really are. God is love, and his true servants embody and manifest that love in this world. It is time for the supposedly secular government of Bangladesh to protect that country’s religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, from the jihadist forces of hate.”
Tulsi Gabbard has always been vocal against the continuous persecution and discrimination the Hindu community has to go through around the globe and therefore her selection as the Director of National Intelligence will give the community a sense of hope and relief.
