Did this Democratic congresswoman meet with Assad during her secret trip to Syria?

Tulsi Gabbard.
(Image credit: Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Women's Campaign Fund)

Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) recently returned from a "fact finding" trip to Syria, and her spokeswoman will not definitively confirm if Gabbard did or did not meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Foreign Policy reports.

Gabbard is an outspoken dissenter from President Barack Obama on the matter of Syria, opposing U.S. efforts for a regime change by stating that the region will become more unstable and dangerous if Assad is removed from power. Gabbard "felt it was important to meet with a number of individuals and groups including religious leaders, humanitarian workers, refugees, and government and community leaders," said her spokeswoman, Emily Latimer. When asked directly if Gabbard met Assad, Latimer declined to comment "citing security and logistical concerns."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.