6:31The individual occupying the role of White House Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, addresses journalists within the Brady Press Briefing Room situated in the White House on July 23, 2025, in Washington, DC.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The commencement of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's dedication to public duty traces back to the unsettling period after the events of 9/11. The heightened concerns about terrorism dramatically altered the nation and significantly influenced her personal commitment to service. She is currently a lieutenant colonel within the Army Reserve and holds the distinction of being the first individual in the history of the United States to hold the DNI position while actively serving in a military capacity.
Speaking with ABC News two decades later in an exclusive interview, she conveyed that the foundational principles acquired during that period continue to shape her leadership methodologies, with the continuous threat of terrorism remaining her paramount apprehension.
Steadfast Independence versus Adapting to the Political Climate
Associates frequently depict Gabbard as a figure characterized by discipline and a strong sense of purpose, molded by the demands of military life. Nevertheless, certain former associates suggest that the perspectives of the ex-Democrat have progressively grown congruent with the Republican Party, which she formerly critiqued. Supporters perceive a firm dedication to independence, while critics discern a political metamorphosis mirroring the evolving nature of Washington. Gabbard asserts, nonetheless, that her guiding values have remained unchanged, with only the surrounding circumstances experiencing alteration.
Tulsi Gabbard, running as a candidate for Representative of Hawaii, delivers remarks at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 4, 2012.Scott Eells/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Spanning from her endeavors in congressional races to the 2020 presidential campaign, Gabbard stood as a distinctive figure by prioritizing foreign policy as an essential matter. Although certain domestic dialogues during her campaign garnered widespread attention, her presidential endeavor persisted in anchoring on her discourse regarding foreign policy. Her events drew together a diverse collection of backers encompassing different political affiliations, many of whom resonated with her viewpoints regarding foreign policy emanating from a formerly ascendant Democrat whose perspective on global matters occasionally diverged from the established principles of her party.
For Gabbard, the core of her existence, both publicly and privately, has consistently centered on service, rendering days such as Veterans Day of particular significance.
"It's a day that prompts reflection on the outstanding Americans with whom I've been privileged to collaborate for a duration of 22 and a half years," she stated. "What is its implication for me given my role as director of national intelligence? It holds personal relevance, as it pertains to individuals – both those I've had the privilege to serve and guide, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice and never had the opportunity to return home."
A Background Shaped by Military Assignments, a Global Perspective Forged by Conflict
In 2021, Gabbard was deployed to the Horn of Africa. Speaking with ABC News, she detailed her time collaborating with the Somali government, alongside different armed forces scattered throughout the continent, all sharing "a common goal of overcoming al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda and a prominent financial contributor to al-Qaeda in that region."
"The underlying truth is that Islamist terrorism remains the foremost menace – in both the immediate and long-term – confronting the American population, their liberties, and Western civilization," Gabbard affirmed. "The primary reason I chose to enlist in the military was to pursue these Islamist terrorists, and that remains my central focus."
Tulsi Gabbard is featured in military garb in this unspecified photograph shared on her Facebook account.Tulsi Gabbard/Facebook
She conveyed that the ODNI, in conjunction with federal and local collaborators, has "effectively thwarted numerous of these independent actors who, at times, are proving more challenging to identify," emphasizing that the hazard has shifted from organized international networks to individuals undergoing radicalization via online platforms or being inspired remotely.
Her dedicated attention to Islamist terrorism has occasionally incited critique, with some levying accusations of Islamophobia, a charge she firmly refutes.
During her tenure as a Democratic member of Congress and a Democratic National Committee vice chair, Gabbard openly opposed much of her party's stance regarding the Obama administration’s hesitation to characterize ISIS as an Islamist extremist organization, earning commendation from certain Republicans and sharp disapproval from Democratic leadership, thereby cementing her standing as an individual willing to challenge her own political faction concerning matters of national security.
"Sadly, numerous politicians are reluctant to openly address this truth due to apprehensions regarding potential political repercussions, such as being labeled as Islamophobic," Gabbard observed. "They witness the events that have befallen me, but this has compromised our own security and imperiled our liberty."
This occurrence validated the initial motivation that prompted her commitment to service, underscoring the notion that the menace has not genuinely diminished, but rather undergone transformation. Gabbard cautioned that the present-day peril is as much ideological as operational, extending through channels of propaganda and recruitment that stretch far beyond conventional war zones.
"Over the past four years, numerous individuals have entered our nation who are either recognized or suspected terrorists, or possess ties to such entities. I harbor concerns regarding those individuals who remain unidentified or unvetted, as well as the escalating dissemination of Islamist propaganda emanating from al-Qaeda."
"This is directly linked to my motivation for enlisting in the military. The Islamist terrorist assault on 9/11 spurred me to take that step, acknowledging the gravity of the danger and desiring to contribute to the defense of my nation and the defeat of the terrorists who attacked us on that fateful day," she asserted.
A Washington Outsider Leading Its Quintessential Insider Institution
Throughout much of her adulthood, Gabbard has existed within parallel realms – public servant and soldier – navigating the rigor of military command alongside the gravity of national-level decision-making. She professes that the teachings she gained during her time in uniform persist in shaping her methodologies within her civilian role.
During her Army training in Texas, her squad leader would play Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" each morning at 4:30 a.m. She said that daily reminder shaped her perspective on service and mortality, foreshadowing the lessons she would carry into Iraq. She was stationed at Camp Anaconda at Joint Base Balad, located in the Sunni Triangle, 40 miles north of Baghdad, nicknamed "Mortaritaville" for its constant rocket and mortar attacks, often with little or no warning. Within hours of her arrival in Iraq, she would survive her first mortar attack.
The following morning, Gabbard observed a sign bearing the inscription "IS TODAY THE DAY?", which would become a recurring sight at the primary security checkpoint. Across the ensuing years, that solitary query, originally intended literally, has endured as her daily prompt regarding the transient essence of existence and how purpose defines sacrifice.
Gabbard expressed that this perception of purpose has consistently been anchored in spirituality, encompassing both Biblical scriptures and the Bhagavad Gita.
"Devoting time to prayer, not exclusively in the morning and evening, but whenever possible, has served as a reminder of the precariousness of our earthly journey," she stated.
The Burden of Service and the Toll of Conflict
The strain accompanying her initial assignment, occurring in her mid-twenties, resulted in her hair turning white. Although it subsequently regained its darker hue, Gabbard has maintained a strand of white hair as a tangible symbol of the human repercussions of warfare and what she depicts as her pursuit of and advocacy for peace.
"Warfare should invariably represent the ultimate resort, to be considered exclusively after all avenues of diplomatic resolution have been thoroughly exhausted," Gabbard asserted.
Recently, at the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies Manama Dialogue held in Bahrain, a Gulf security summit convening officials to discuss regional strategy, Gabbard issued a warning against what she termed "the missteps of the past," including conflicts instigated by the U.S. aimed at regime alteration.
Reflecting on her address, Gabbard informed ABC News that the focal point was "highlighting the detrimental ramifications of our nation's history of engaging in wars to change regimes, underscoring that these conflicts were discretionary and incredibly costly in ways that defy precise quantification, encompassing both the loss of human life and the ultimate undermining of our own security. For instance, the Iraq war aimed at regime change played a role in the rise of al-Qaeda and ISIS, thereby fortifying their positions and extending their influence not merely within the region, but globally."
Tulsi Gabbard is seen in this undated photo.Courtesy Tulsi Gabbard/Office of Director of National Intelligence
Countering Accusations of Isolationism
Gabbard also opposed critics who portrayed the Trump administration's America First policy as tending towards isolationism.
"Some assert that America First equates to a form of isolationism, which is simply untrue," she contended. "The level of President Trump's engagement with global leaders on a daily basis is quite apparent."
"One of the principal transformations within the intelligence community, concerning focus and resource allocation under President Trump, has been the emphasis on actual developments within our own hemisphere," she remarked. "This has been a neglected area under numerous preceding administrations, leading to the observed empowerment of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, facilitating the havoc and terror they unleash, the trafficking of hazardous and lethal drugs, and the exploitation of humans and infants."
She stated that, under the president's guidance, the intelligence community has initiated the reallocation of resources to identify the entities driving these operations and formulate strategies for their dismantling.
'This Has Never Been About Politics'
Devotees interpret these reforms as evidence of Gabbard's determination to confront bureaucracy and refocus the intelligence community's concentration on genuine global hazards. However, her detractors, including Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, claim that this upheaval has incurred significant ramifications.
In a speech delivered in September, Warner accused Gabbard and Trump of "systematically eroding the autonomy of the nation's intelligence community," citing dismissals, revoked security clearances, and reassignments that he characterized as attempts to "silence decades of experience."
Warner cautioned that "the fundamental question is whether America will sustain an intelligence community capable of presenting unbiased facts to those in positions of power."
Gabbard's allies have dismissed these assertions as politically motivated. They argue the criticism misses the point, that "ODNI 2.0," as she calls her overhaul, is about cutting through layers of stagnation and rebuilding trust between intelligence officers and the commander in chief.
"I hold profound affection for our nation, and it remains a singular honor to collaborate with the less than 1% of Americans who willingly risk their lives to safeguard the well-being, security, and liberty of the American populace," she stated. "As long as I believe I can contribute meaningfully and effectively, I remain thankful for the opportunity."
That sense of purpose still drives her.
"For me, this has never revolved around politics," she emphasized. "It centers on service – service to the nation, service to others, and assuring the accessibility of factual information to those responsible for making difficult choices."
"Were self-interest my primary concern, I would be in Hawaii, riding the waves and enjoying a peaceful existence with my family in the place we are blessed to call our home," she conveyed. "My life's objective is to strive towards loving and serving God to the best of my capabilities."
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
