President Trump came to Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s defense on Monday during a cabinet meeting, as the presidential candidate faces accusations from Hillary Clinton that she’s being groomed by the Russians.
“Hillary Clinton, I don’t know if you’ve heard of her, she’s the one accusing everybody of being a Russian agent. Anybody that is opposed to her is a Russian agent,” Trump said in the meeting. “That’s a scam that was pretty much put down.”
“I don’t know Tulsi, but she’s not a Russian agent,” Trump continued. “I don’t know Jill Stein. I know she likes the environment. I don’t think she likes Russians. If she does like them, I know she’s not an asset.”
“These people are sick. There’s something wrong with them,” he said.
Gabbard has been hitting back left and right against the smears. On Monday, she posted an official video response, arguing that it was her endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016 that led to this.
"People warned me in 2016 that my endorsement of Bernie Sanders would be the end of my 'political career,'" Gabbard said in the video. "They said, 'Clinton will never forget,' that she and her rich and powerful friends, her allies in politics and the media will make sure that you are destroyed.”
She continued: "If they can falsely portray me as a traitor, then they can do it to anyone—and in fact, that's exactly the message they want to get across to you. If you stand up to Hillary and the party power brokers—if you stand up to the rich and powerful elite and the war machine, they will destroy you and discredit your message. But, here is the truth: They will not intimidate us. They will not silence us."
Hillary & her gang of rich, powerful elite are going after me to send a msg to YOU: “Shut up, toe the line, or be destroyed.” But we, the people, will NOT be silenced. Join me in taking our Democratic Party back & leading a govt of, by & for the people! https://t.co/TOcAOPrxye pic.twitter.com/TahfE2XOek
— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) October 20, 2019