Tulsi Gabbard says she's joining the GOP as she campaigns with Trump

GREENSBORO, N.C. >> Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who now supports Donald Trump, joined him on stage in Greensboro Tuesday night to announce that she is joining the Republican Party.

After walking out to loud cheers from the former president's supporters, Gabbard said she was joining “the party of the people, the party of equality, the party that was founded to fight against and end slavery in this country.” and the party of is one of common sense and the party led by a president who has the courage and strength to fight for peace.”

Trump introduced her at the end of his nearly two-hour speech, calling her “a woman that everyone loves” who has “so much common sense.” As Gabbard walked to the podium and the crowd cheered, Trump hugged her and said, “Boy, are you popular!”

Gabbard said the Democratic Party, of which she was a member for more than 20 years, is now “completely unrecognizable.”

She sharply criticized Vice President Kamala Harris as an ineffective leader and criticized her for touting the support of former Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and campaigning with her.

“She’s anti-freedom, she’s pro-censorship, she’s pro-open borders and she’s pro-war,” Gabbard said of Harris. “Without even appearing to care about peace, as President Trump said, she has shamelessly embraced the endorsement and support of warmongers like Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney.”

Gabbard announced a little over two years ago, on October 11, 2022, that she was leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent, ABC News reported.

She ran for president as a Democrat in 2020, ending her campaign in a crowded field and endorsing Joe Biden for president