WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Two decades after the Sept. 11 attacks, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says her mission remains the same even as the world around her shifts. In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Gabbard said the threat of Islamist terrorism still shapes her work and her sense of duty. Gabbard, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, is the first person to serve as DNI while still in uniform.
She said the attacks of 9/11 pushed her to enlist and continue to guide her today. She described Islamist terrorism as the “greatest threat” to the United States and Western values. She said the threat has changed over time. Instead of large, organized networks overseas, she warned that more attackers now act alone or become radicalized online. She said the intelligence community has stopped several “lone wolf” plots with the help of federal and local partners.
Gabbard has long focused on national security. Her critics sometimes accuse her of Islamophobia, a claim she rejects. She said politicians often avoid using terms like “Islamist extremism” out of fear of backlash. She argued that doing so ignores key facts and puts Americans at risk. Gabbard’s public and private lives have been defined by military duty. She deployed to Iraq as a young soldier and later to the Horn of Africa in 2021. She worked with Somali forces and other partners to target al-Shabaab, a major financial supporter of al-Qaeda.
Her first deployment left a lasting impression. She survived mortar attacks at Camp Anaconda, known as “Mortaritaville” for its constant strikes. She recalled a sign that asked, “Is today the day?” which she said reminded her of life’s fragility and the purpose behind service.
Gabbard said her faith helped her during those years. Daily prayer, along with readings from the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita, shaped how she approached both danger and leadership. She said the stress of her first deployment turned her hair white. She keeps one white streak today as a reminder of the human cost of war.
During her time in Congress and her 2020 presidential run, Gabbard made foreign policy central to her platform. Supporters praised her independence, while critics said her views drifted toward the Republican Party. She said her stance never changed and that the political landscape shifted around her.
Gabbard often warned against “regime-change wars.” At a recent security forum in Bahrain, she said past U.S.-led interventions weakened national security and helped extremist groups grow. She pointed to the Iraq War as an example, saying it contributed to the rise of al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Gabbard defended the Trump administration’s “America First” foreign policy approach. She rejected claims that it signaled isolationism. She said the intelligence community has shifted more attention to threats in the Western Hemisphere, including drug cartels and human trafficking networks.
Critics, including Sen. Mark Warner, accused Gabbard and Trump of damaging the independence of U.S. intelligence agencies. Warner pointed to firings and reassignments that he said weakened the system. Gabbard’s allies dismissed those claims as political attacks and said her changes strengthened national security. Gabbard said her commitment to service remains at the center of her life. Veterans Day, she said, reminds her of the people she served with and those who never came home. She said she plans to keep serving as long as she can make a meaningful impact.
“For me, this has never been about politics,” she said. “It’s about service. Service to country, service to others, and making sure the truth reaches the people who make the hardest decisions.”
She said if she wanted an easier life, she would be home in Hawaii. But she believes her purpose is to serve and protect the country. Gabbard’s message, shaped by years in uniform and in public office, remains clear. The threats facing the United States may change form, she said, but the mission to defend the nation stays the same.
