JRE 1599 · June 27, 2024

Tulsi Gabbard

politicsmilitaryhistoryphilosophy

Who is Tulsi Gabbard?

Tulsi Gabbard is a Former United States Representative, presidential candidate, and Iraq War veteran. Currently, she serves as the leader of Tulsi Aloha, a political action committee.

Topics and Timestamps

01Tulsi discusses her transition from Congress to leading Tulsi Aloha PAC and her evolving political positions
02Deep dive into her Iraq War experience and how it shaped her foreign policy views on military interventionism
03Conversation about the Democratic Party, her departure from it, and concerns about neoconservative influence in both parties
04Her perspective on US military operations abroad, regime change wars, and the cost to American soldiers and civilians
05Discussion of cancel culture, media bias, and her experience being ostracized by mainstream Democratic circles
06Tulsi's current political alignment and why she's critical of the establishment in both major parties
▶Tulsi discusses her Iraq War deployment and what she witnessed firsthand0:05:00
▶Conversation about regime change wars and US military interventionism0:18:30
▶Tulsi explains her departure from the Democratic Party and cancel culture experience0:35:00
▶Discussion of neoconservative influence in both major political parties0:52:15
▶Tulsi talks about Tulsi Aloha PAC and her current political direction1:08:00

The Show

Joe sits down with Tulsi Gabbard for a wide-ranging conversation that touches on her military service, her evolution within politics, and her increasingly critical stance toward establishment foreign policy. The conversation centers heavily on her experience as an Iraq War veteran and how that firsthand exposure to combat shaped her worldview.

Tulsi opens up about her time serving in the military and what she witnessed during deployments. This isn't abstract geopolitics for her, it's deeply personal. She brings up the human cost of wars that are often debated in conference rooms by people who've never been in the field. Joe and Tulsi dig into her critiques of US foreign policy, particularly around regime change operations and military interventionism. She's become increasingly vocal about what she sees as unnecessary wars that drain American resources and lives without clear strategic purpose.

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around her departure from the Democratic Party and her experiences with cancel culture within progressive circles. Tulsi doesn't shy away from discussing how her anti-war positions put her at odds with certain factions of the Democratic establishment. She talks about being attacked and ostracized for views that diverge from party orthodoxy, particularly around foreign policy and military interventionism.

The discussion touches on her current work with Tulsi Aloha, her political action committee, and what she's focused on now that she's outside of Congress. She explains her thinking on the current state of both major parties and why she believes there's neoconservative influence across both sides of the aisle. This isn't a typical partisan attack, it's more about structural problems in how America approaches its role in global affairs.

Throughout the conversation, there's an underlying theme of Tulsi questioning narratives she's been fed and insisting on speaking from her actual experience rather than adopting convenient political positions. Joe seems genuinely interested in her perspective, particularly around military matters and foreign policy, and the two have substantive back and forths without the usual cable news talking points.

Best Quotes

“My experience in Iraq showed me the real human cost of these wars that politicians debate from their offices”

— Tulsi Gabbard