Donald Trump Surprised by Tulsi Gabbard GOP Move

Former U.S. Consultant Tulsi Gabbard, a longtime Democrat from Hawaii earlier than turning unbiased in 2022, mentioned that she has determined to hitch the Republican Celebration.

Gabbard made the announcement whereas addressing the group at former President Donald Trump’s rally in North Carolina for a couple of minutes Tuesday night, throughout which she praised the GOP presidential nominee for bringing the Republican Celebration “again to the celebration of the individuals and the celebration of peace.”

“To these of you right here or these watching at house who’re independent-minded individuals like myself, who love our nation and are dedicated to the Structure and to freedom, the Democratic Celebration has no house for individuals like us,” Gabbard mentioned. “However we do have a house within the Republican Celebration the place we’re welcomed with open arms by President Trump.”

“I am proud to face right here with you right now, President Trump, and announce that I am becoming a member of the Republican Celebration,” she added.

Gabbard, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, endorsed Trump’s presidential bid in August, a bit of over a month after President Joe Biden stepped down from the race and Vice President Kamala Harris launched her marketing campaign.

Trump mentioned on Tuesday that he “did not know” Gabbard had determined to hitch the GOP, including, “That was a shock.”

“That was actually … she’s been unbiased for a very long time,” Trump informed his rallygoers. “It is an awesome factor, an awesome honor.”

Trump has additionally been endorsed by former unbiased presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his marketing campaign in August and threw his assist behind the previous president. Kennedy, son of ex-U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, each Democrats who have been assassinated within the Sixties, has been rebuked by his household for backing Trump.

Newsweek reached out to Trump’s marketing campaign for additional remark Tuesday evening.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, in the meantime, has been supported by dozens of Republican politicians up and down the poll, together with former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, ex-U.S. Consultant Liz Cheney.

Harris’ marketing campaign is concentrating on Republican voters in three key battleground states this week in hopes of profitable over GOP backers who’re in opposition to Trump. Liz Cheney, who represented Wyoming’s district at massive, is becoming a member of the vp on the marketing campaign stops in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

In a press release shared to Newsweek earlier this week, the Harris marketing campaign mentioned that the vp and Cheney “plan to warn in regards to the threat of a second Trump time period for America and lay out the Vice President’s agenda for a New Manner Ahead for the American folks that focuses on their wants, not the division and chaos of Donald Trump.”

Replace 10/22/24, 10:12 p.m. ET: This text has been up to date with extra data and background.