Dems claim Tulsi Gabbard is 'Russian asset'—Bernie Sanders said that's 'outrageous' in 2019

Democrats are voicing strong opposition to President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of veteran of rhe US Armed Forces and former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, reviving unsubstantiated accusations that Gabbard is a "Russian asset." 

Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz appeared on MSNBC on Friday, claiming without evidence that Gabbard poses a security risk if confirmed to the intelligence role, 

“She is considered to be essentially by most assessments, a Russian asset and would be the most dangerous," Wasserman Schultz alleged before being cut off and then asked if she believed Gabbard to be a Russian asset.

"Yes. There's no question,” she affirmed. “I consider her someone who is likely a Russian asset who would be as the DNI, responsible for managing our entire intelligence community, hold all of our most significant intelligence information and secrets, and essentially would be a direct line to our enemies.”

Representative Abigail Spanberger, a member of the House Intelligence Committee and a former CIA officer, echoed these concerns. On X, Spanberg said she was “appalled” by Gabbard’s nomination.

“The objections to her nomination transcend partisan politics. This is a matter of national security.” Spanberger claimed. “Someone who has aligned herself with Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad and trafficked in Russian-backed conspiracy theories is an unsuitable and potentially dangerous selection.”

The accusations against Gabbard date back to her 2019 presidential campaign when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton labeled her the “favorite of the Russians.” Gabbard responded with a defamation lawsuit against Clinton. 

The allegations, widely criticized by some as lacking any substantiation, have been a source of controversy within Democratic circles. At the time, Senator Bernie Sanders defended Gabbard, tweeting, “Tulsi Gabbard has put her life on the line to defend this country. People can disagree on issues, but it is outrageous for anyone to suggest that Tulsi is a foreign asset.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded to the renewed claims over the weekend by stating he would not characterize Gabbard as a Russian asset "at this particular juncture."

Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 after previously serving as a Democratic congresswoman. When she first announced her departure, she lamented that the party was no longer a home for  “Independent-minded people like myself, who love our country and are committed to the Constitution and to freedom.” Gabbard has recently announced that she is now a Republican.