Former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard endorses Donald Trump in 2024 presidential race

Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii endorsed former President Donald Trump on Monday at a campaign event for veterans in Michigan, citing her experience as an Iraq War veteran and Trump's understanding of "the grave responsibility that a president and commander in chief bears for every single one of our lives."

"This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before," Gabbard told the crowd at the National Guard Association of Michigan. "This is one of the main reasons why I am committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can once again serve us as our commander in chief."

"I was a Democrat for over 20 years. Today, I endorsed Donald Trump for president," Gabbard added Monday in a post on X.

I was a Democrat for over 20 years. Today, I endorsed Donald Trump for President. WATCH to hear why: pic.twitter.com/lwA8FYFx8h — Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) August 26, 2024

During Monday's speech, Gabbard talked about her time serving in the Iraq War, the high price of ongoing conflicts and what the Republican nominee would do to end it.

"I am confident that his first task will be to do the work to walk us back from the brink of war," she said.

"We cannot be prosperous unless we are at peace and we can't live free as long as we have a government that is retaliating against its political opponents and undermining our civil liberties, weaponizing our very institutions against those they deem as a threat," Gabbard said before turning to Kamala Harris , who she claimed has "done this over the last 3.5 years."

"President Trump has been their first and foremost target in this because they don't want us as voters to even have the option to vote for him. I've been their most recent target added to a secret domestic terror watch list after exposing the truth about what kind of dangers we would face if Kamala Harris is elected as president," Gabbard said.

"We as Americans must reject this anti-freedom culture of political retaliation and abuse of power. We can't allow our country to be destroyed by politicians who will put their own power ahead of the interests of the American people, our freedom and our future," she added.

"I am proud to stand here before you today, whether you're a Democrat, a Republican or an independent. If you love our country as I do, if you cherish peace and freedom as we do, I invite you to join me in doing all that we can to save our country and elect President Donald J. Trump ," Gabbard concluded.

Gabbard's endorsement comes days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ended his independent run for president and joined forces with Trump, adding that he would be removing his name from the ballot in battleground states. Kennedy endorsed Trump on Friday and appeared with the Republican nominee at a rally in Arizona.

Gabbard, who ran for president in 2020 as a Democrat, announced in 2022 that she was leaving the Democratic Party to become an independent. She said she could "no longer remain in today's Democratic Party," which she claimed is under control of "an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness who divide us by racializing every issue."

In addition to endorsing the former president, Gabbard has been tapped to work with Trump in preparation for his upcoming debate with Harris, which is scheduled for Sept. 10.