Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders cast a “no” vote on confirming Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence under the Trump administration, despite having praised her endorsement of him for president in 2016. Gabbard, who sacrificed her standing in the Democratic Party to support Sanders, did not receive his backing in return.
Gabbard resigned as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee to endorse Sanders over then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During the 2016 campaign, she strongly criticized the Democratic establishment’s interventionist foreign policy, stating, “There is a clear contrast between our two candidates with regard to my strong belief that we must end the interventionist, regime change policies that have cost us so much. This is not just another issue. This is the issue, and it’s deeply personal to me.”
Sanders welcomed her endorsement at the time, calling her “one of the important voices of a new generation of leaders” and commending her stance on ending perpetual wars. However, when the Senate voted on Gabbard’s nomination for DNI on Wednesday, Sanders did not return the favor.
Sanders’ decision sparked backlash from former supporters. Former Democrat operative Evan Barker expressed his disappointment, stating, “You voted ‘no’ on Tulsi Gabbard today. And I gotta say something to you, because I supported you. I voted for you. I backed you, I canvassed for you. And you voted against Tulsi Gabbard, a woman who did the same. She basically sacrificed her future and her career in the Democratic Party to back you. And today you voted against her, and for what?”
The Libertarian Free State Project of New Hampshire also condemned Sanders, stating, “Bernie Sanders has no honor. His vote against Tulsi Gabbard has proved that.”
Kash Patel, who faces his own confirmation vote in the Senate to become head of the FBI under the Trump administration, shared a video of Gabbard’s 2016 resignation from the DNC, a move that damaged her standing in the Democratic Party.
Despite opposition from every Democratic senator, Gabbard was confirmed with unanimous Republican support, marking a significant political shift for the former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii.
