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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’
Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailout
Talking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland