Bulwark Takes: "Tulsi Gabbard Believes in Nothing" (March 3, 2026) – Episode Summary

Episode Overview

In this searing episode of Bulwark Takes, Will Saletan delivers an unsparing critique of Tulsi Gabbard, currently the Director of National Intelligence under President Trump’s second term. Saletan accuses Gabbard of profound hypocrisy—a complete abandonment of her earlier anti-interventionist stance in favor of endorsing and facilitating Trump’s aggressive military actions. Through a chronological examination of Gabbard’s statements and actions from 2019 to 2026, the episode aims to expose what Saletan calls Gabbard's “emptiness” and unwillingness to stand by her previously stated principles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Gabbard’s 2019-2020 Anti-War Record

• Initial Criticisms of Trump’s Foreign Policy

  • Gabbard publicly criticized Trump’s supposed embrace of “regime change wars,” specifically in Venezuela and Iran.
  • She highlighted the hypocrisy of Trump’s promises versus his actions.
  • Quote (01:35):

    “President Trump campaigned against regime change wars ... now he bows to the wishes of the neocons who surround him, clamoring for regime change wars that he claimed to oppose. This time in Venezuela and in Iran.” — Tulsi Gabbard, 2019

  • She condemned John Bolton by name, pointing to oil interests as a motive for intervention in Venezuela.

• Warnings About War with Iran

  • Gabbard issued dire warnings that war with Iran would "make the war in Iraq look like a cakewalk."
    Quote (03:26):

    “A war with Iran would make the war in Iraq look like a cakewalk. The devastation and the cost would be far greater than anything we've ever experienced.” — Tulsi Gabbard, 2019

  • She accused Trump of actions “pushing us closer and closer to the prospect of a war with Iran,” despite his assurances otherwise.

  • After the U.S. assassination of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020, she said Trump had seriously “escalated the situation” and betrayed anti-war promises.

• Denounces Trump’s Betrayal

  • Quote (05:00):

    “To all who voted for Trump because of his anti-war rhetoric. It’s time to realize he lied to you. He lied to you.” — Tulsi Gabbard, 2020

2024: Endorser and Ally of Trump

• Dramatic U-Turn

  • After leaving Congress and failing in her own presidential run, Gabbard endorsed Trump upon his 2024 Republican nomination.

  • Quote (06:06):

    “I know that President Trump understands the grave responsibility ... When he not only didn't start any new wars, he took action to deescalate and prevent wars.” — Tulsi Gabbard, August 2024

  • Saletan highlights the stunning reversal: Gabbard now recites the same anti-war claims she previously debunked.

  • She campaigns for Trump, repeatedly calling him “a man of peace.”

  • Quote (07:22):

    “President Trump has pledged to end wars, not start them. And a vote for President Trump is a vote for peace...” — Tulsi Gabbard, Trump Rally North Carolina, Oct 2024

• Saletan’s Reaction:

  • Quote (07:57):

    "Just absolutely shameless." — Will Saletan

“Director of National Intelligence” Gabbard’s Contradictions (2025–2026)

• Supporting Trump’s Military Actions

  • As DNI, Gabbard not only fails to oppose aggressive actions taken by Trump—she actively promotes the narrative that these represent “peace.”

  • June 2025: Trump bombs Iran’s nuclear sites; Gabbard is photographed in the Situation Room.

    • Gabbard issues a statement:
      Quote (10:32):

      “Only President Trump could have achieved this historic ceasefire agreement that brings us closer to peace.”

    • She later praises military operations as “a resounding success,” boasting of “obliterating key Iranian capabilities.”

  • November 2025: In Bahrain, Gabbard claims Trump is “securing peace on a scale that we haven't seen in decades,” glossing over the reality of recent bombings.

    • Quote (11:24):

      “Now, just nine months into his second term, President Trump’s America First agenda is supercharging these efforts and securing peace on a scale that we haven't seen in decades. He secured ceasefires between India and Pakistan, Israel and Iran.” — Tulsi Gabbard, Bahrain Conference

• Venezuela Operation Revisited

  • Trump attacks Venezuela, eliminates the government, and demands access to oil.
  • Trump, echoing past statements condemned by Gabbard, openly admits intentions.

    • Quote (12:34):

      “We're going to have our very large United States oil companies ... start making money for the country.” — Donald Trump, 2026

    • Gabbard remains silent, then later praises the operation and asserts Trump is “delivering on his promise to protect America.”

• Greenland Incident

  • After Trump threatens military action to acquire Greenland, Gabbard again stays silent; she allegedly uses her intelligence office to help plan the acquisition.

Climax: Regime Change in Iran & The Final Betrayal

• Most Explicit Embrace of Regime Change

  • Trump brags about “taking” Venezuelan oil after regime change, Gabbard remains mute.

    • Quote (14:57):

      “80 million barrels of oil. ... That’s what we’ve taken. And it’s great for Venezuela, it’s great for us.” — Donald Trump, Texas

  • Hours later, Trump launches another bombing campaign in Iran, openly calling for regime change.

    • Quote (15:44):

      “Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.” — Donald Trump

  • White House releases images of Gabbard present in the Situation Room during the strikes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Saletan’s Verdict:
  • Quote (15:51):

    "Look, this administration is full of liars, but there’s nobody, nobody quite like Tulsi Gabbard. ... She said all of that seven years ago. And then she turned around and peddled the same lies, the same lies he told about who he was and what he would do. ... Tulsi Gabbard believes in what she has always, always believed in. Absolutely nothing." — Will Saletan (16:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:46] Introduction & context – Will Saletan frames Gabbard as the "biggest sellout."
• [01:35] Gabbard’s anti-war campaign launch clip from 2019.
• [03:26] Gabbard’s warning about Iran, critique of Trump’s foreign policy.
• [04:38] Gabbard criticizes Trump after assassination of Suleimani.
• [05:00] Gabbard’s public declaration that “he lied to you.”
• [06:06] Gabbard’s full-throated endorsement of Trump in 2024, asserting he is a man of peace.
• [07:22] Gabbard’s rally remarks, repeating pro-Trump lines.
• [10:32] Gabbard praises Trump after military attack, claiming it “brought us closer to peace.”
• [11:24] Gabbard’s Bahrain speech extolling Trump’s peace efforts.
• [12:34] Trump's statement on Venezuela’s oil.
• [14:57] Trump boasts about taking Venezuela's oil.
• [15:44] Trump launches regime change operation in Iran, Gabbard’s silence documented.
• [16:59] Saletan delivers final, damning verdict on Gabbard.

Tone & Language

• The tone throughout is caustic, fact-based, and at times incredulous, fitting the Bulwark’s tradition of sharp political critique.
• Saletan uses the language of betrayal, hypocrisy, and moral emptiness to frame Gabbard’s actions, directly quoting her own former condemnations to highlight her reversals.
• Gabbard’s own statements are presented without editorializing, but their context underscores the core accusation of the episode.

This episode is essential listening for anyone tracking the evolution (or perceived devolution) of political figures’ stated principles and the realities of American power in the Trump-Gabbard era. Saletan’s methodical juxtaposition of Gabbard’s past and present words serves as a case study in political opportunism and the malleability of rhetoric in service of power.