INTERVIEW: Tulsi Gabbard On Leaving Democrat Party

Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has announced she is leaving the Democrat Party. She joined us on Sekulow to tell us why.

Rep. Gabbard gave a detailed list of reasons why she is leaving the party she’d been a member of since she was 21-years-old. Rep. Gabbard is currently a decorated U.S. Army Reserve officer who has served in Iraq, and chief among her grievances is how the party once considered the party of peace has now become the party of “warmongers” and using our military as pawns in a political game. Also, according to Rep. Gabbard, her former party is now being “driven by cowardly wokeness.”

At the ACLJ, we’ve always respected Tulsi Gabbard and the fact that even as an active Democrat, she could disagree with us and still have a respectful, productive, even empathetic conversation. My family has known her family for many years. Rep. Gabbard even participated in my brother Logan Sekulow’s documentary, Revenge of The Taliban.

She never catered to so-called party speech or followed strict party lines. Tulsi Gabbard poked the bear when she ran for President against other, more malleable candidates like Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Biden. Even former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton came out to attack Rep. Gabbard and try to torpedo her campaign.

Tulsi joined us live on the broadcast and I asked her how the Democrats became the party you have to tiptoe around constantly now for fear of being attacked:

That’s exactly right and what does that really point to? It points to the fundamental problem with today’s Democratic party, which is they’re opposed to freedom. They don’t support freedom of thought. They don’t support critical thinking. They don’t support freedom of speech. And given these are the principles that make up the foundation of our country and our constitution, and they’re diametrically opposed to them and actively seeking to undermine those freedoms, religious liberty being one of them, this is the problem, and this is why so many people are walking around on eggshells. Because it’s not enough that they’re attacking our right to free speech, our freedom of religion, if anyone dares to step outside the line, if anyone even dares to question their logic, or their narrative, or their argument, they are immediately attacked and smeared. In some cases, their livelihoods are threatened, their ability to support themselves and their families. It is antithetical to who we are as Americans, and the vision that our founders had for this country, and therefore poses a direct danger and threat to our democracy.

Rep. Gabbard has just begun her own podcast to share her own unique thoughts and views about the issues we’re all facing right now. And she took a moment to address anyone who would question her loyalty to freedom and the United States Constitution:

I have always been an independent-minded person so even as I joined the Democratic Party twenty years ago and throughout the time that I’ve served in various public offices from city council to state house to Congress and then running for President. I have maintained that independent mind . . . . People who actually know me understand that my loyalty is to our country and the Constitution, as it always has been. And so taking this step really is a recognition again of what is most important to me in my life, I love our country and I have dedicated my entire adult life to serving our country and to defending those freedoms, whether it’s in uniform or in public office.

Today’s full Sekulow broadcast includes more in-depth conversation with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard about the state of her former party, our country, and pressing matters globally that threaten our security. We’re also joined by ACLJ Special Advisor Ric Grenell to discuss President Biden’s wanting to “re-evaluate” U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia.

Watch the full broadcast below: