On 'The View,' Tulsi Gabbard defends non-intervention stance in Syria, Venezuela

The Hawaii Democrat announced her presidential campaign earlier this month.

By Adam KelseyFeb 20, 2019 1:01 PM ET

Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard defended her non-interventionist foreign policy stance in an interview on ABC's "The View" Wednesday, deflecting criticism painting her as an apologist of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by citing her own military service and the outcomes of those living in affected countries.

Gabbard, D-Hawaii, an Iraq War veteran who holds the rank of major in Hawaii's National Guard and is currently in her fourth term in the House of Representatives, argued further that the money spent on such conflicts could be better channeled towards domestic goals.

"It is those experiences of understanding and knowing first-hand the cost of war, both on our service members, on our veterans, as well as the cost on the people in the countries where we intervene, as well as the trillions of dollars, our taxpayer dollars, that are spent on waging these wars, dollars that are sorely needed to address the very real urgent needs of our families, our communities, our neighbors right here at home," she said.

Prior to her presidential campaign, the congresswoman was perhaps best known for a controversial 2017 trip to Syria to meet with Assad. She has since declined to label the leader an "enemy of the United States."

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