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First on Fox: Hundreds of veterans across the country offer their unequivocal support to the former Hawaii Democratic 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 deep 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, 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 released 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. Eli Crane, Rep. of Florida Brian Mast and political commentator Jack Posobiec. .
“Due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Tulsi answered the call of duty, enlisted in the military, and left her position as a Hawaii State Representative when offered volunteered to deploy to Iraq with her unit Instead of using her political unit to avoid deployment, Tulsi volunteered to serve in a medical unit in Iraq, facing directly to the harsh realities, costs and traumas of war,” the letter continues.
TRUMP APPOINTS TULSI GABBARD DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ‘FEARLESS SPIRIT’
Tulsi Gabbard (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images/File)
“Her commitment to service didn’t end there,” he added, before pointing to Gabbard’s 22 years “standing shoulder to shoulder with her fellow service members,” including when she served in the House.
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“As a member of Congress and as a civilian, Tulsi has been a staunch advocate for veterans’ health regarding toxic exposure and cancer care as a result of our fellow veterans’ military service. The life of Tulsi exemplifies a rare blend of selflessness, courage and leadership – qualities that are desperately needed to reform and strengthen our intelligence community,” the letter said.
President-elect Donald Trump greets former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed Trump, at the 146th National Guard Association General Conference, Aug. 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
almost 70% of veterans who signed the letter worked in special operations and/or intelligence, while about 54 percent of signers 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 victory over Democratic Vice President Harris last month, arguing that Gabbard would bring a “career-defining fearless spirit to our intelligence community, championing our constitutional rights and securing peace through force.” The Director of National Intelligence leads the US intelligence community, including oversight of 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 chosen in the House of the United States representing Hawaii during the 2012 election cycle, serving as a Democrat until 2021. He did not seek re-election to the post after throwing his hat into 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 support to Trump in the midst of his presidential campaign.
He is expected to head to Capitol Hill this week to speak with members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and GOP leadership to rally support for his confirmation process. Critics have tried to paint Gabbard as a national security risk who sympathizes with America’s adversaries, a narrative that veterans fought in the letter.
“He has been identified by the U.S. intelligence community as having troubling relationships with enemies of the United States, and therefore I am concerned that he failed a background check,” the senator said recently Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, for example, on Gabbard.
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US military personnel walk on the tarmac at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition in Seongnam, South Korea, on October 18, 2021. (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
The veterans hit back at these critics, saying they are spreading “baseless lies” because they are “unable and unwilling to challenge the substance of their views.”
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“We are appalled by the baseless attacks that question Tulsi’s loyalty to our great nation. For over 20 years and multiple combat deployments, Tulsi has risked her life to defend the safety, security and freedom of the northern people “These attacks not only insult her, but all the veterans who have served our country,” the letter says.
“Tulsi’s patriotism, modeled on the battlefield, reflects the values and aspirations of the American people far more than the failed policies of the so-called ‘experts’ in Washington, who have been part of the problem for far too long.”
Gabbard has been outspoken against creating new wars, declaring in her October speech during Trump’s historic Madison Square Garden rally that a vote for Harris was a vote for the ” war”.
“I have served now for over 21 years. I have deployed to different war zones three times during that time, and I have seen the cost of war to my brothers and sisters who paid the ultimate price. I carry their memories and his sacrifice in my heart every day, so this choice before us is important to us lives on the line of safety, security and freedom of our country and our people,” he 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, probably. 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 already shown that he has the courage and strength to stand up and fight for peace,” he continued.
TO THE DEMOCRATS “OUR DEMOCRACY CARES SO LITTLE”, SAYS TULSI GABBARD
The veterans in their letter celebrated that Trump and his next administration have “a clear mandate to improve national security without engaging in unnecessary 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 appointing Tulsi Gabbard to this critical role and proud to be at his side, a leader whose courage and convictions we know first hand. A warrior whose vote cannot be bought and whose integrity cannot be bent. We are honored to call her one of our own,” they wrote.
