Former Democratic presidential candidate Gabbard backs Trump

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, on Monday officially endorsed former President Donald Trump in his bid for president. Trump welcomed Gabbard on stage at the National Guard Association of the United States conference in Detroit. The event coincided with the third anniversary of the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans. Gabbard accompanied Trump earlier in the day, where he laid wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery in honor of three of the slain service members. Gabbard served two tours of duty in the National Guard before becoming a House Representative.

When was she a presidential candidate? Gabbard ran for president as a Democrat for the 2020 election, then clashing in a debate with Kamala Harris, now the vice president and Democratic presidential nominee. Gabbard later backed President Biden when she ended her campaign. Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 citing “wokeness” as one reason for her exit.

What did Gabbard say about Trump? On Monday she praised Trump for what she described as his willingness to meet with international leaders to avoid war. She condemned the Biden administration for involving the U.S. in wars of different regions around the world, bringing the world “closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before.” Gabbard is scheduled to moderate a town hall Thursday in La Crosse, Wis. with Trump.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report in The Sift about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joining the Trump campaign.