Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says she is running for president
By Grace Segers
/ CBS News
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, said she is running for president in an interview slated to air on CNN's "The Van Jones Show" Saturday evening. A source close to Gabbard confirmed to CBS News that she is running.
"There are a lot of reasons for me to make this decision. There are a lot of challenges that are facing the American people that I'm concerned about and that I want to help solve," she told Jones, listing issues such as health care, criminal justice reform and climate change.
"There is one main issue that is central to the rest, and that is the issue of war and peace," Gabbard added. "I look forward to being able to get into this and to talk about it in depth when we make our announcement."
Gabbard, one of Bernie Sanders' key surrogates in Congress in 2016, been widely criticized for her views on Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, with some considering her an apologist for him. She met with Assad in 2017.
She made waves recently for saying in a tweet that President Trump is "Saudi Arabia's bitch" for announcing the U.S. will stand with Saudi Arabia, regardless of any intelligence community assessment on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's involvement in the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
"Hey @realdonaldtrump: being Saudi Arabia's bitch is not "America First,"" Gabbard tweeted.
She has also courted controversy by picking a fight with Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono. Gabbard, in an op-ed in The Hill, accused Hirono of "fomenting religious bigotry" by questioning one of Mr. Trump's judicial nominees about his membership in the Knights of Columbus.
Gabbard, a native of American Samoa, was elected to the Hawaii State Legislature in 2002 at the age of 21, the youngest woman to be elected to a state legislature in U.S. history at the time. She left office in 2004 and volunteered to be deployed to Iraq. She would return in 2006, work for Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka, then return to Iraq in 2009.
In 2010, she returned to office as a member of the Hawaii City Council. In 2012, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She comes from a multicultural, multi-religious family and, as a practicing Hindu, was the first Hindu elected to Congress.
Gabbard joins an increasingly crowded field of Democrats vying to be president.
Jack Turman contributed to this report
First published on January 11, 2019
© 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Grace Segers
Grace Segers is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says she is running for president
The congresswoman said in a CNN interview that she is running
updated 12M ago
Teen helped police arrest man accused of kidnapping her
Jake Thomas Patterson, 21, has been charged with killing the parents of Jayme Closs and kidnapping the 13-year-old
updated 31M ago
"Hamilton" brings hope to artists in Puerto Rico
The Broadway sensation will be in San Juan for three weeks
updated 14M ago
Trump, Democrats and GOP draw disapproval over shutdown – CBS News poll
New CBS News poll finds Americans are concerned about the impact of the government shutdown, poised to be the longest in U.S. history
updated 48M ago
Four black men pardoned decades after false rape claim
It took 70 years for the men to get justice after a white woman claimed they raped her in 1949
updated 31M ago
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says she is running for president
The congresswoman said in a CNN interview that she is running
updated 12M ago
Trump, Democrats and GOP draw disapproval over shutdown – CBS News poll
New CBS News poll finds Americans are concerned about the impact of the government shutdown, poised to be the longest in U.S. history
updated 48M ago
Sherrod Brown eyes early-voting states — and maybe a 2020 run
The Ohio senator will be visiting Iowa and other early-voting states in the next few weeks
updated 9M ago
Sunday: Pompeo, Castro, McCarthy, Johnson
Mike Pompeo, Julián Castro, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and Jeh Johnson to appear Sunday on “Face the Nation”
1H ago
Facility for migrant kids extends offer letters on the spot amid rapid expansion
Hundreds are needed to staff a Homestead, Florida, shelter that is rapidly expanding
1H ago
Oceans are warming dramatically faster, new study warns
Since 1970, the ocean has warmed 40 percent more than previous estimates, scientists say
updated 27M ago
Facility for migrant kids extends offer letters on the spot amid rapid expansion
Hundreds are needed to staff a Homestead, Florida, shelter that is rapidly expanding
1H ago
Tributes pour in after tearful Andy Murray announces retirement
"The pain is too much, really, and I don't want to continue playing that way," the tennis champion said at a press conference
4H ago
U.S. lawyers "paying attention" as female Saudi activist due in court
Human rights activist Israa al-Ghomgham could be the 1st woman ever sentenced to death for nonviolent protest in Saudi Arabia
5H ago
Poland arrests Chinese businessman on spy charges
Internal Security Agency detains 1 Polish along with man reported to be an executive of telecom giant Huawei
10H ago
Woodstock founder reveals plans for 50th anniversary festival
Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang has announced an anniversary concert to celebrate "3 Days of Peace & Music" – but it won't be the only one
3H ago
Behind the scenes: Making of "Hamilton" in Puerto Rico
The performances are part of a three-week run to raise money and awareness for the U.S. territory after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017
6H ago
"Criminal Minds" ending after season 15
"A moment of silence please," one fan tweeted after hearing the news
6H ago
Lin-Manuel Miranda: Puerto Rico needs "debt forgiveness" to recover
The "Hamilton" creator said the storm-battered island needs more investment from Congress
6H ago
Lin-Manuel Miranda's 8th grade teacher brings him to tears
"Dr. Herbert's the reason I'm sitting here talking to you," star of "Hamilton" says
9H ago
Oceans are warming dramatically faster, new study warns
Since 1970, the ocean has warmed 40 percent more than previous estimates, scientists say
updated 27M ago
SpaceX launches final set of Iridium satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket takes off with a final set of 10 Iridium NEXT communications satellites
2H ago
Lawmakers demand answers from data providers over sale of location data
A report finds T-Mobile and other providers sold data to third parties
Jan 10
Emissions rise despite support for green energy
Most Americans say they support renewable energy, but what will it take to get there?
Jan 10
Senator wants law that could jail tech execs for tracking users' location
The proposal comes as the makers of the Weather Channel app are accused of marketing the locations of its users without their knowledge
Jan 10
New York City experiments with health care for all
Plan to provide the poor and uninsured with medical care may amount to a bold policy shift — or a political ploy
1H ago
Opioid crisis busts coroner's budget
The opioid epidemic has claimed so many lives in a suburban Chicago county, the coroner says his office is running out of money
1H ago
Painkillers for pets may be adding to opioid epidemic
First-of-its-kind study looks at risks from the increase in opioid prescriptions for pets
1H ago
Want to prevent deadly diseases? Eat more fiber, study says
A new report shows that lots of grains, vegetables and fruit lowers your risk of dying early from heart disease, cancer, and other deadly diseases
6H ago
More than 6 million have gotten flu so far this season
The CDC has released its first estimates for this year's flu season
5H ago
New York City experiments with health care for all
Plan to provide the poor and uninsured with medical care may amount to a bold policy shift — or a political ploy
1H ago
Shutdown means Fed has no idea how GDP is doing
Trump promised 3% GDP growth in his tenure, but the agency that tracks that key economic number is shut down
1H ago
Shutdown pinches small businesses across U.S.
Fewer tips, construction delays, product-approval hold-ups — all mean less local spending by Uncle Sam
2H ago
Shutdown could hit federal workers' credit scores
Federal workers are scrimping to avoid being dinged by lenders for missing payments and damaging their credit scores
3H ago
A third winning week in row for U.S. stocks
Investors have been buoyed this week by signs of a U.S.-China thaw and a dovish turn by the Federal Reserve
2H ago
Teen helped police arrest man accused of kidnapping her
Jake Thomas Patterson, 21, has been charged with killing the parents of Jayme Closs and kidnapping the 13-year-old
updated 31M ago
Four black men pardoned decades after false rape claim
It took 70 years for the men to get justice after a white woman claimed they raped her in 1949
updated 31M ago
Neighbor recounts Jayme Closs' words after her escape
Neighbors of suspect Jake Thomas Patterson said Jayme Closs didn't know where she was after escaping his cabin
2H ago
Jayme Closs: "48 Hours" special to focus on the disappearance and return of Wisconsin girl
A look inside the Closs case, the extraordinary stories of other children found, and the the heartache of families with children still missing
updated 38M ago
"Baby's turning blue!": 911 call reveals moments vegetative patient gives birth
A patient at a long-term care facility gave birth in December, even though she had been in a vegetative state for a decade
updated 25M ago Original Article