The Syrian-American community represents a significant portion of the Syrian diaspora, and their primary concern remains identifying which of the two major U.S. political parties, Democratic or Republican, is more supportive of their revolution. Many in this community have long felt betrayed by the Democratic Party, particularly after former President Barack Obama failed to uphold his promises regarding Syria’s conflict, especially his infamous “red line.”
Their frustration with the Democrats only deepened with several notable incidents, the most striking being Representative Tulsi Gabbard’s opposition to an anti-Assad resolution in the House. Gabbard, a Democrat and self-proclaimed progressive from Hawaii, labeled the resolution as a “war bill” and criticized it as a covert attempt to overthrow the Assad regime under the guise of humanitarianism.
What further incensed the Syrian community was Gabbard’s 2017 visit to Syria, where she met with Assad, spoke with Syrian civilians and regime forces, and declared Assad a better option than the “terrorists.” After touring war-ravaged Aleppo, she proclaimed Assad’s and Russia’s actions as victories for peace. Gabbard later ran for president in 2020, using her campaign to blame the U.S. for the devastation in Syria, and astonishingly, she praised Russian airstrikes and advocated for the U.S. to support Assad.
Gabbard’s opportunism has been evident throughout her career, driven by self-interest and ambition. Notably, she met with Donald Trump in November 2016, shortly after his election, to advocate for ending U.S. support for Syrian rebels—a position Trump supported. Her controversial visit to Syria followed soon after.
Ironically, Gabbard’s harshest critic at the time was Senator Kamala Harris, now the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. Harris condemned Gabbard for meeting with “a man who kills his own people like cockroaches” and accused her of embracing Assad and refusing to label him a war criminal.
This story takes on renewed significance with Trump’s recent announcement that Gabbard will co-chair his presidential transition campaign. This move comes after Gabbard publicly endorsed Trump as the best candidate for the presidency, having left the Democratic Party in 2022.
Observers speculate that Gabbard could have a profound influence on Trump’s policies towards Syria and Assad, especially given their shared positive views of Russian President Putin. Rumours are circulating that Gabbard is being considered for high-ranking positions in a potential Trump administration, such as Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense.
Interestingly, Gabbard has remained silent about her 2015 trip to the Turkish-Syrian border, where she met with Syrian opposition leaders, victims of Assad’s barrel bombs, and the White Helmets. These accounts, which contradict Assad’s narrative, were conspicuously absent from her campaign rhetoric.
Given these developments, the question arises: Will Syrians reconsider their support for the Democratic Party? This question is increasingly relevant, as the Democratic Party’s current trajectory aligns more closely with values of social justice, equality, pluralism, the rule of law, and the right to self-determination. In contrast, under Trump, the Republican Party has gravitated towards authoritarianism, idolizing strongman leaders and sidelining democracies.
The ongoing debate within the Syrian-American community reflects the broader complexities of navigating U.S. politics, where careful consideration of party roles is crucial, much like other lobbying groups working within the American political system. This challenge is compounded by the influence of figures like Gabbard, whom former Republican congressional aide Kurt Bardella described as lacking “soul, conscience, and moral code.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
