On 12 February 2025, former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence of the United States in the presence of President Donald Trump. She was confirmed in the Senate with 52 votes in favour and 48 against.
The confirmation was not an easy ride, as there was a lot of controversy generated by the mainstream media and the Democratic Party, accusing her of being an apologist for the enemies and traitors of the United States. She is an outspoken critic of neoconservatism and foreign interventions. She holds NATO expansion responsible for the Russia-Ukraine War and has spoken in support of whistleblowers, like Edward Snowden.
I first came to know about Gabbard in 2013 when she was elected to the US House of Representatives. She was the first Hindu American to be elected to the US Congress and took her oath on the Bhagavad Gita. At that time, I was a Krishna devotee who followed a reclusive lifestyle and was struggling to make a headway in my career. Tulsi was also a Krishna devotee, but she was smart, accomplished and presidential. She spoke about karma yoga as a service to Krishna and her inspiration to join the military and then politics. I wanted to be like her, but I did not have enough conviction or commitment at that time.
On 3 January 2015, I got the opportunity to meet her in the India Foundation discussion on “The Future of Indo-US Relationship” at the India International Centre, New Delhi. She delivered the keynote address. I had brought my wife and daughter along. I wanted my family to have a photo with her, as I was sure that one day Gabbard would become president. But I was very modest and shy then, so could not directly approach her.
Coming back to the present - after being sworn in, Gabbard called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was visiting the US, signifying the importance she gave to Indo-US relations. Perhaps, the agenda of instigating social unrest and regime change in other countries may not be encouraged under Gabbard. She would probably ensure that anti-India forces in India’s neighbourhood do not receive the support of the US government and that the illegitimate overthrow of elected governments does not occur, like in Bangladesh. The recent exposé related to USAID made by the Trump Administration shows the wide-reaching nature of American interference in the domestic affairs of other nations. In this context, Tulsi Gabbard’s role becomes crucial for ensuring a stable international order.
