Why did Tulsi Gabbard become a Republican?

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democrat, announced she was leaving the party in 2022. She cited numerous reasons for the change, and in 2025 serves as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence. Her cabinet role in the Trump administration shows how drastically her loyalties have shifted since becoming an independent, and then eventually a Republican.

Why Gabbard became an independent

I can no longer remain in today’s Democratic Party that is now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue & stoke anti-white racism, actively work to undermine our God-given freedoms, are… pic.twitter.com/oAuTnxZldf

— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) October 11, 2022

The former Hawaii representative announced that she was leaving the democratic party on X on Oct. 11, 2022. She accused the party leadership of “cowardly wokeness” and “anti-white racism.” She also accused it of being “hostile to people of faith and spirituality,” and “dragging us ever closer to nuclear war,” in a video.

Gabbard’s criticisms of the Democratic Party cited in 2022 include:

• A lack of focus on spirituality
• “Wokeness”
• Prejudice against caucasian Americans
• A perceived “open borders” immigration philosophy
• Elitism
• “Demonization” of law enforcement

She encouraged other fence-sitting Democrats to join her when she added, “I believe in a government that is of, by, and for the people. Unfortunately, today’s democratic party does not. Instead, it stands for a government of, by, and for the powerful elite. I’m calling on my fellow common sense independent-minded Democrats to join me.”

The logic behind her switch follows the same ideology Trump popularised: anti-immigrant sentiment, believing the Republican Party better represents the working class, and that Christian ideals have slipped in importance. She reiterated after the video’s post she believes the democrats “demonize the police and protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans, believe in open borders, weaponize the national security state to go after political opponents,” and more.

How Gabbard rose in the republican ranks after switching ailes

Shortly after announcing her exit, Gabbard endorsed and campaigned for several Trump-aligned Republicans in the 2022 midterms, as reported by MSN. These candidates included Don Bolduc, Adam Laxalt, Kari Lake, and soon-to-be vice-president JD Vance.

when Trump entered the 2024 republican primaries, there were rumors he might consider her a running mate. And in March 2024, after she had publicly said she would be honored to be considered during a Fox & Friends interview, Trump confirmed she was on a shortlist.

Vice presidency never came to fruition, with Trump opting for Vance, who had working-class appeal, instead. However, she did become an honorary co-chair of his presidential transition team in Aug. 2024 and solidified her support when she appeared at Trump rallies. While this was previously implied in her 2022 democratic party exit, she officially confirmed she would join the GOP in Oct. 2024 while addressing a MAGA crowd in North Carolina.

The Hill reported she delivered the news to a cheering crowd, with Trump standing nearby. “I’m joining the party of the people, the party of equality, the party that was founded to fight against and end slavery in this country. It is the party of common sense, and the party that is led by a president, who has the courage and strength to fight for peace,” she claimed. We’ve seen little of that common sense since.