New Delhi: US president-elect Donald Trump has appointed former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence. Trump described Gabbard as a "proud Republican" who can bring her "fearless spirit" into the intelligence community.
Gabbard's mother converted to Hinduism and gave all her children Hindu names. Tulsi Gabbard also identifies as a Hindu and was the first Hindu US congresswoman. While she is of American Samoan descent, Tulsi was sworn into office with her hand on the Bhagavad Gita.
Gabbard was previously attacked for being pro-Russia and she had alleged that the US has funded biolabs in Ukraine. She was also accused in the past of backing Russia's security concerns. In August this year, Gabbard claimed that the US government had placed her on a "secret terror watchlist" on July 23.
Gabbard has condemned atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In 2021, she moved a resolution in the US congress for protection of Hindus in Bangladesh after repeated atrocities and attacked the Pakistani army for cruelty against the minority group in 1971.
She noted how more than 50 years ago, the Pakistani military killed, tortured and drove thousands of Bengali Hindus from their homes in Bangladesh, saying that at least 2-3 million people were killed during the systematic targeting of the minority group.
After being elected as the co-chair of the India Caucus of the House of Representatives in 2017, Gabbard also alleged how Pakistan continues to allow its territories to be used by terrorists operating in India, Afghanistan and other nations.
In 2019, Gabbard met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York City and they had a discussion on a wide range of issues, highlighting the importance of a long-standing relationship between the US and India. She left Democratic Party in 2022 and joined Republican Party in 2024.
Gabbard's mother converted to Hinduism and gave all her children Hindu names. Tulsi Gabbard also identifies as a Hindu and was the first Hindu US congresswoman. While she is of American Samoan descent, Tulsi was sworn into office with her hand on the Bhagavad Gita.
Gabbard was previously attacked for being pro-Russia and she had alleged that the US has funded biolabs in Ukraine. She was also accused in the past of backing Russia's security concerns. In August this year, Gabbard claimed that the US government had placed her on a "secret terror watchlist" on July 23.
Gabbard has condemned atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In 2021, she moved a resolution in the US congress for protection of Hindus in Bangladesh after repeated atrocities and attacked the Pakistani army for cruelty against the minority group in 1971.
She noted how more than 50 years ago, the Pakistani military killed, tortured and drove thousands of Bengali Hindus from their homes in Bangladesh, saying that at least 2-3 million people were killed during the systematic targeting of the minority group.
After being elected as the co-chair of the India Caucus of the House of Representatives in 2017, Gabbard also alleged how Pakistan continues to allow its territories to be used by terrorists operating in India, Afghanistan and other nations.
In 2019, Gabbard met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York City and they had a discussion on a wide range of issues, highlighting the importance of a long-standing relationship between the US and India. She left Democratic Party in 2022 and joined Republican Party in 2024.
