Tucker Carlson: Any GOP Senator Opposed to Tulsi Gabbard ‘Enemy’ Of the U.S.
Former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson stated that any Republican senator opposing President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) for director of national intelligence is an “enemy” of the United States.
Carlson made these remarks while speaking at a Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix. He was joined on stage by Steve Bannon, a former top adviser to Trump, and Donald Trump Jr.
Known for his outspoken views, Carlson recently stirred debate during an interview with far-left economist Jeffrey Sachs, where they discussed U.S. policies regarding Syria and Israel. Questioning the prevailing narrative, Carlson asked Sachs, “Why am I required to hate Assad?”
“Tulsi Gabbard went and met with Assad. She’s been attacked ever since. Has anyone ever explained why Americans should hate Assad?” Carlson pressed, as Sachs spent much of the discussion critiquing U.S. intelligence agencies.
Addressing the young audience in Arizona, Carlson defended Gabbard, saying, “She served in the U.S. military for 20 years. So, by the way, if she was a foreign agent, how exactly was she carrying a gun in the U.S. military? It’s absurd.”
He continued, “You will know who’s on which side by the reaction to Tulsi Gabbard. If there are Republican senators who are voting against Tulsi Gabbard confirmation, then either in the Intel committee or in the open Senate, you will know that person is not only my enemy as someone who voted for change, for openness, for transparency, for an end to corruption, for draining of the swamp,” Carlson said. “You know, that person is an enemy of the United States. Period.”
“It’s really that simple,” Carlson emphasized. “And you will get the same story. It’s national security. We can’t let our enemies know. We can’t trust Tulsi Gabbard. No, we can’t trust you.”
Gabbard, who continues to serve in the Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel, has completed deployments to Iraq and Kuwait. After running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and leaving Congress, she switched her party affiliation to Republican. Reports indicate her Senate confirmation will face significant challenges.
According to Reuters, “eight Republican senators are unsure about supporting former Democratic member of congress Tulsi Gabbard to become America’s top spy, according to a Trump transition source and a second source with knowledge of the issue, increasing doubts about whether her nomination will secure Senate confirmation.”
Trump has sought to counter dissent within his party by pointing to his decisive electoral victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, which delivered Republicans control of the White House, Senate, and House—a mandate he describes as historic.
At a pre-election rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Gabbard delivered a pointed speech, saying a vote for Kamala Harris was akin to voting for war.
Opening her speech, she recited the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that our Creator has endowed us with certain unalienable Rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
“As we gather here today on this historic occasion, we stand together as proud Americans in understanding that these very rights are under attack,” she declared. “So we face this historic crossroads where our freedom and our future is in our hands. There’s never been a more clear choice in any election in my life, and our ability to live in a truly peaceful and free and prosperous country is on the line.”
Drawing on her two decades of military service, Gabbard reflected on how deeply personal the issue of war is for her.
“A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for a man who wants to end wars, not start them, and who has demonstrated already that he has the courage and strength to stand up and fight for peace,” she said. “A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for open borders, where known violent criminals and Islamist terrorists are streaming across our borders, placing us at risk.”