Who is Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's Director of National Intelligence?

US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that Tusli Gabbard, a former Democract, and first-ever Hindu elected to the US Congress, would serve as Director of National Intelligence in his second term.

Born in American Samoa, Gabbard is of European-Samoan ancestry, but was raised in a multicultural household that took an active interest in Hinduism.

Reportedly, it was Gabbard's mother who became interested in Hinduism when the family was living in Hawaii, and gave Hindu names to all her children, including Tusli.

A four-term Congresswoman, 2020 presidential candidate and an NYT bestselling author, Gabbard is a veteran with three deployments to war zones in the Middle East and Africa. She recently moved from being a Democrat to a Republican member.

"I am pleased to announce that former Congresswoman, Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard, will serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans," Trump announced.

"As a former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, she has broad support in both parties. She is now a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing peace through strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!" Trump said.

Gabbard first served in elected office in the Hawaii State House of Representatives when she was 21 years old. After the 9/11 attacks, she enlisted in the Army National Guard. In 2004, she gave up an easy re-election campaign and volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 29th Brigade Combat Team where she served in a medical unit, according to a media release.

After returning home in 2006, she worked in the US Senate as a legislative aide to the late Senator Danny Akaka, who was the chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. She then volunteered for a second Middle East deployment as a platoon leader.

Having experienced firsthand the true cost of war, Gabbard ran for United States Congress at the age of 31, vowing to honour the lives and sacrifice of her brothers and sisters in uniform. She prevailed in a difficult election and went on to serve in Congress for eight years as a member of the Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Foreign Affairs Committees. Foregoing a run for reelection to Congress in 2020, she ran for president as a Democrat.

In October 2022, she announced she was leaving the Democrat Party, becoming an Independent.

Her first book For Love of Country: Leave the Democrat Party Behind was released on April 30, 2024 and hit number four on the New York Times' Bestsellers List the following week.

On August 26, 2024, Gabbard formally endorsed Trump for a second term and soon after began serving as co-chair of his transition team. On October 22, 2024, she joined the Republican Party because of President-elect Trump's leadership and how he has been able to transform the Republican Party, bringing it back to the party of the people and the party of peace, the release said.

(With PTI inputs)