While former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) faced criticism for meeting Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017, prominent Democratic leaders, including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), had also met with Assad in the past. Pelosi’s 2007 visit to Damascus, where she conveyed a peace message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, drew backlash from the Bush administration.
Pelosi’s meeting with Assad was part of broader Democratic efforts to establish dialogue with Syria, despite strained U.S.-Syria relations over accusations that Damascus supported insurgents in Iraq. Similarly, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), following his failed 2004 presidential bid, met Assad in 2005. Photos later surfaced of Kerry dining with Assad and his wife, raising eyebrows over such interactions amid the dictator’s repressive rule.
These meetings were initially framed as efforts to challenge the George W. Bush administration’s policy of isolating Assad. Under President Barack Obama, engagement with Assad became part of a broader strategy to improve U.S. relations with the Arab world. However, such diplomatic overtures were later criticized as Assad’s regime intensified its brutal suppression of dissent during the Syrian civil war.
In contrast, Gabbard’s visit came at a time when Assad’s atrocities were widely reported. Her trip was reportedly motivated by concerns for Christians and other minorities affected by the conflict. Critics accused her of legitimizing Assad’s regime, and these allegations resurfaced when Gabbard was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for Director of National Intelligence. Democrats even suggested, without evidence, that Gabbard could be a Russian asset.
This double standard highlights the complexities of U.S. foreign policy and partisan rhetoric. While both parties have figures who engaged with Assad, such meetings have become politically contentious in hindsight, reflecting shifting perspectives on the Syrian conflict.
