Hundreds of veterans across the nation are offering their unequivocal support to former Democrat Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence under President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration, Fox News Digital has learned.
“President Donald Trump’s selection of Tulsi Gabbard reflects a profound recognition of her steadfast dedication to our nation and her unwavering commitment to safeguarding the American people. While most Americans know Tulsi as a fearless and principled Congresswoman who stood up to entrenched political systems, we know her as a fellow veteran—one whose worldview was forged through the crucible of serving in combat zones and a lifelong devotion to service,” reads a letter, “American Veterans for Tulsi Gabbard,” which was published Monday and obtained by Fox News Digital.
More than 250 veterans signed the letter, including high-profile and nationally known names such as retired Gen. Michael Flynn, former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, Arizona Rep. Rep. Eli Crane, Florida Rep. Brian Mast and political commentator Jack Posobiec.
“Because of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, Tulsi answered the call of duty, enlisted in the Army, and stepped away from her position as a Hawaii State Representative when she volunteered to deploy to Iraq with her unit. Instead of using her political status to avoid deployment, Tulsi volunteered to serve in a medical unit in Iraq, directly facing the harsh realities, costs, and traumas of war,” the letter continues.
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Tulsi Gabbard (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images/File)
“Her commitment to service did not end there,” it added, before pointing to Gabbard’s 22 years of standing “shoulder-to-shoulder with her fellow servicemembers,” including when she served in the House.
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“As a Member of Congress and as a civilian, Tulsi has been a stalwart advocate for veterans’ health concerning toxic exposures and cancer care as a result of our fellow veterans’ military service. Tulsi’s life exemplifies a rare blend of selflessness, courage, and leadership—qualities desperately needed to reform and strengthen our intelligence community,” the letter says.
President-elect Donald Trump greets former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed Trump, at the National Guard Association of the United States’ 146th General Conference, Aug. 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Nearly 70% of the veterans who signed the letter worked in special operations and/or intelligence, while about 54% of the signatories are retired service members, and the vast majority of signers overall saw combat while in the military, Fox News Digital learned.
Trump nominated Gabbard just days after his election win over Democrat Vice President Harris last month, arguing Gabbard will bring a “fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.” The director of national intelligence leads the U.S. intelligence community, which includes overseeing the National Intelligence Program and advising the president on security matters.
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Gabbard has served as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves since 2021, after previously serving in the Hawaii Army National Guard for about 17 years.
She was elected to the U.S. House representing Hawaii during the 2012 election cycle, serving as a Democrat until 2021. She did not seek re-election to that office after throwing her hat in the 2020 White House race.
Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022, registering as an independent, before becoming a member of the GOP this year and offering her full endorsement of Trump amid his presidential campaign.
She is anticipated to head to Capitol Hill this week to speak with members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and GOP leadership to rally support for her confirmation proceedings. Critics have attempted to paint Gabbard as a national security risk who is sympathetic to U.S. adversaries, a narrative the veterans combated in the letter.
“The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes, and so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check,” Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, for example, recently said of Gabbard.
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U.S. military personnel walk on the tarmac at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition in Seongnam, South Korea, on Oct. 18, 2021. (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
The veterans hit back at such critics, saying they are spreading “baseless lies” because they are “unable and unwilling to challenge the substance of her views.”
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“We are appalled by the baseless attacks questioning Tulsi’s loyalty to our great nation. For over 20 years and across multiple combat deployments, Tulsi has risked her life to defend the safety, security and freedom of the American people. These attacks insult not only her, but every one of us Veterans who have served our country,” the letter reads.
“Tulsi’s patriotism, shaped on the battlefield, mirrors the values and aspirations of the American people far more than the failed policies of so called ‘experts’ in Washington, who have been part of the problem for too long.”
Gabbard has been outspoken against creating new wars, declaring in her speech in October during Trump’s historic Madison Square Garden rally that a vote for Harris was a vote for “war.”
“I’ve served now for over 21 years. I’ve deployed to different war zones three times over that period, and I’ve seen the cost of war for my brothers and sisters who paid the ultimate price. I carry their memories and their sacrifice in my heart every day. So, this choice that we have before us as Americans is critical. It’s important to us. It’s important to those of us who serve, who have volunteered to put our lives on the line for the safety, security and freedom of our country and our people,” she said.
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Tulsi Gabbard (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images/File)
“A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for Dick Cheney. And it’s a vote for war, more war, likely World War III and nuclear war. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for a man who wants to end wars, not start them, and who has demonstrated already that he has the courage and strength to stand up and fight for peace,” she continued.
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The veterans in their letter celebrated that Trump and his upcoming administration have “a clear mandate to enhance national security without engaging in needless wars or infringing on civil liberties” and that Gabbard will “carry out that mandate” if confirmed.
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“We are deeply grateful to President Trump for appointing Tulsi Gabbard to this critical role and proud to stand beside her – a leader whose courage and convictions we know firsthand. A warrior whose vote cannot be bought, and whose integrity cannot be folded. We are honored to call her one of our own,” they wrote.