13 things about 8th US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard

Tulsi Gabbard is a native of American Samoa. Located in the Polynesia region of the South Pacific Ocean, it is an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States.

BIOGRAPHY

Gabbard is an American politician and military officer born in Leloaloa, Maʻopūtasi County, Tutuila, American Samoa to Gerald Michael “Mike” Gabbard and Carol Porter Gabbard.

Mike grew up in Hawaii, USA and Florida, USA. He was born in Fagatogo, American Samoa to Benjamin Harrison Gabbard, Jr. and Aknesis Agnes Yandall Gabbard.

Carol grew up in Michigan, USA. She was born in Indiana, USA to German and European parents.

As a child, Tulsi was mostly home schooled except for two years at a girls school in the Philippines. She is the fourth of five siblings.

From 1988 to 1992, Tulsi’s parents owned The Natural Deli, a vegetarian restaurant within the Down to Earth Natural Food Store in Moiliili, Hawaii. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. In 1983, she, her siblings and their parents moved to Hawaii.
2. From 2002 to 2006, she was married to Eduardo Tamayo.
3. From November 5, 2002 to November 2, 2004, he was a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 42nd district.
4. In April 2003, she enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard.
5. She received a Combat Medical Badge after completing her deployment from July 2004 to July 2005 in Iraq where she served as a specialist with the Medical Company, 29th Support Battalion, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Hawaii Army National Guard.
6. In March 2007, she became the first woman to graduate at the top of her class from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School at the Alabama Military Academy in Fort McClellan, Alabama, USA.
7. From 2008 to 2009, she was stationed in Kuwait as an Army Military Police platoon leader.
8. In 2009, she graduated from Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu, Hawaii with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in international business.
9. From January 2, 2011 to August 16, 2012, he was a member of the Honolulu City Council from the sixth district.
10. From January 3, 2013 to January 3, 2021, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii’s second district.
11. From January 22, 2013 to February 27, 2016, he was the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
12. In 2015, she married Abraham Williams.
13. On April 12, 2025, she turned 44.

TIMELINE

Tulsi studied television production at Leeward Community College in Pearl City, Hawaii but dropped out in 2002 to run for election to the Hawaii state legislature. That year, she became the youngest woman ever elected as a U.S. state representative.

2015

• On October 12, 2015, she was promoted from the rank of captain to major at a ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu.

2016

• On February 28, 2016, she resigned as Democratic National Committee vice chair to endorse Bernie Sanders.

2017

• In January 2017, she spent a week in Syria and Lebanon and met various leaders from both countries.

2018

• In September 2018, she and Walter Jones co-sponsored the No More Presidential Wars Act to reaffirm the authority of the U.S. Congress over war declarations.

2019

• In February 2019, she launched her 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, making her the first female combat veteran to run for U.S. president.

2020

• In June 2020, she was transferred to the 351st Civil Affairs Command, a U.S. Army Reserve unit in California, USA assigned to the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command.

2021

• In January 2021, she launched her podcast titled “This is Tulsi Gabbard”.
• On July 4, 2021, she was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

2022

• On October 11, 2022, she took to Twitter to announce her departure from the Democratic Party.

2023

• In November 2023, she attended the March for Israel at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., USA.

2024

• On August 26, 2024, she endorsed Donald Trump’s reelection bid during a National Guard Association gathering in Michigan.
• On November 13, 2024, Trump nominated her as director of national intelligence (DNI) of the U.S.

2025

• On February 12, 2025, she assumed office as the eighth DNI of the U.S.