Tulsi Gabbard announced at a Trump rally that she is joining the Republican Party
Former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard formally announced her decision to join the Republican Party during a Trump rally held in Greensboro, North Carolina, a key swing state for the upcoming election.
The announcement follows Gabbard’s recent involvement with the Trump campaign as an honorary co-chair of the former president’s transition team, a role she now shares with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., another former Democrat.
Gabbard explained her admiration for President Trump’s leadership as a key factor in her decision to switch parties.
“I’m proud to stand here with you today, President Trump, and announce that I’m joining the Republican Party,” Gabbard stated during the rally.
“I am 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 added.
President Trump responded enthusiastically to Gabbard’s declaration, expressing his surprise and appreciation.
“Thank you very much, Tulsi. That’s great. Wow, that was a surprise. She’s been independent for a long time. That’s a great thing. A great honor,” Trump remarked in front of the crowd.
Tulsi Gabbard’s political journey has been marked by shifts in affiliation and ideology. She first gained national attention as the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2013 to 2016, before resigning to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) for president during the 2016 election.
Gabbard then ran as a Democrat in the 2020 presidential race, where she clashed with fellow candidate Kamala Harris during a primary debate, taking aim at Harris’ record as a prosecutor and California attorney general.
At the time, Gabbard criticized Harris for prosecuting numerous marijuana-related cases and highlighted her role in the cash bail system in California.
The debate moment became one of Gabbard’s defining actions in the race.
In 2022, Tulsi Gabbard officially left the Democratic Party, declaring herself an independent. Since then, she has hosted her own podcast and gained attention for speaking at conservative events, signaling a broader ideological shift.
Gabbard, who represented Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District as a Democrat from 2013 to 2021, continues to serve in the U.S. Army Reserves with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
With her formal entry into the Republican Party, Gabbard’s political realignment highlights the growing influence of non-traditional figures within the party.
“For independent-thinkers like myself, there is no home in the Democrat Party. However, there is a home for us in the Republican Party. The Republican Party of warmongering elite Dick Cheney is in the past. Trump’s GOP is a big open tent party of the people, equality, commonsense, and the party that is led by a President who has the courage and strength to fight for peace,” Tulsi said in an X post.
“Tonight I stood with President Trump and announced I am joining the Republican Party. President Trump is our best and only hope in this election to lead our country toward a future where every one of us can live in a truly free, peaceful, and prosperous nation. Now is the time for us to stand together, vote for Trump and save our country,” she added.
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