Tulsi Gabbard exits Democratic Party: 'An elitist cabal of warmongers'
Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) is leaving the Democratic Party, the former 2020 presidential candidate announced Tuesday.
In a video posted on Twitter, Gabbard, 41, said she can no longer remain in a party "now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue and stoke anti-white racism," undermine Americans' "God-given freedoms," "demonize" the police but protect criminals, encourage open borders, "weaponize" national security for politics' sake, and push the country "ever closer to nuclear war."
"I believe in a government that is of, by, and for the people. Unfortunately, today's Democratic Party does not," Gabbard continued, before calling on her "fellow common sense independent-minded Democrats" to join her, especially if they can "no longer stomach the direction that so-called woke Democratic Party idelogues are taking our country."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Though Gabbard ran as a Democrat in the 2020 election, she has often criticized and questioned the party and its leaders on various issues and topics, NBC News notes.
Fox News' Emily Compagno on Tuesday described Gabbard's defection as "a fiery takedown ahead of the midterms," per Mediaite. The former congresswoman will discuss her announcement with network host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday's episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight. Gabbard has appeared on Fox News multiple times before.
She spoke further about her decision with podcast host Joe Rogan in an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience released Tuesday.
-
‘Jumping genes': How polar bears are rewiring their DNA to survive the warming ArcticUnder the radar The species is adapting to warmer temperatures
-
January’s books feature a revisioned classic, a homeschooler's memoir and a provocative thriller dramedyThe Week Recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Call Me Ishmaelle’ by Xiaolu Guo, ‘Homeschooled: A Memoir’ by Stefan Merrill Block, ‘Anatomy of an Alibi’ by Ashley Elston and ‘Half His Age’ by Jennette McCurdy
-
Venezuela’s Trump-shaped power vacuumIN THE SPOTLIGHT The American abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has thrust South America’s biggest oil-producing state into uncharted geopolitical waters
-
Trump says US ‘in charge’ of Venezuela after Maduro grabSpeed Read The American president claims the US will ‘run’ Venezuela for an unspecified amount of time, contradicting a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
