Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said that during a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump on Monday she urged him not to get involved in a war to overthrow the Syrian government.
“I felt it important to take the opportunity to meet with the President-elect now before the drumbeats of war that neocons have been beating drag us into an escalation of the war to overthrow the Syrian government—a war which has already cost hundreds of thousands of lives and forced millions of refugees to flee their homes in search of safety for themselves and their families,” the Hawaii lawmaker said in a statement after the meeting at Trump Tower.
Bombings in the Syrian town of Aleppo over the weekend sparked new calls for the U.S. to become more involved in the Syrian conflict. Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham released a statement critical of President Barack Obama’s approach there, saying diplomatic actions should be “backed by strength.”
Gabbard was the only Democrat to meet with Trump in New York City today, among a cast of Republican politicians, ex-military officials and news executives. Gabbard was one of the few elected Democrats to back Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) when he was a Democratic presidential candidate.
Like Trump, Gabbard has assailed Obama for not using the phrase “Islamic extremism” when discussing terrorism. She also voted to limit refugees entering the U.S. and supported Russia’s intervention in Syria, even when it was at odds with American goals in the Middle East nation.
Neither Gabbard nor Trump’s campaign said she is being considered for a job in the Trump administration. A spokeswoman for Gabbard did not respond to a request for comment.
