Wasserman Schultz sparks backlash for claiming Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., is facing backlash online for claiming that Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), is "likely a Russian asset."

Wasserman Schultz made the claims, without providing immoderate evidence, connected MSNBC Friday, sparking furious responses with commentators honing successful connected the Florida lawmaker’s ain record.

"She is considered to beryllium fundamentally by astir assessments, a Russian plus and would beryllium the astir dangerous," Wasserman Schultz said, earlier being chopped disconnected and asked, "Is that what you see her?"

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Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, left, is facing backlash online for claiming that Tulsi Gabbard, right, President-elect Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), is "likely a Russian asset." (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images, left, and Jim WATSON / AFP, right. )

"Yes. There's nary question. I see her idiosyncratic who is apt a Russian plus who would beryllium arsenic the DNI, liable for managing our full quality community, clasp each of our astir important quality accusation and secrets, and fundamentally would beryllium a nonstop enactment to our enemies," Wasserman Schultz said. 

The comments drew crisp criticism.

"Tulsi Gabbard resigned arsenic DNC Vice Chair successful 2016 due to the fact that Debbie Wasserman Schultz was rigging the election to guarantee Hillary won -- arsenic Liz Warren, Donna Brazile and WL each showed," writer Glenn Greenwald wrote.

"Imagine warring for your state and past having pro-war cretins similar this impugn your loyalties."

Commentator @TexasLindsay_ invoked the debunked Russian dossier scandal, which was utilized by Democrats to impeach President-elect Trump of being a Russian asset. 

"Debbie Wasserman Schulz was DNC Chair erstwhile Hillary Clinton ran for president—during the clip the DNC got caught spying connected Trump's run paying to fabricate the fake Russian Dossier to discredit Trump."

"The information that she’s present accusing Tulsi Gabbard of being a Russian plus is truthful outrageous, I can’t assistance but laughter astatine however anserine she thinks we each are."

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Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has accused Tulsi Gabbard of being a "likely a Russian asset." (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Ian Miles Cheong invoked a ungraded involving Wasserman Schultz’s erstwhile IT adjutant Imran Awan who was indicted for national slope fraud and conspiracy and was arrested trying to permission the U.S. Wasserman Schultz was criticized implicit mishandling delicate accusation by defending him. Awan yet made a plea woody with the Justice Department.

"This is axenic defamation and it should not spell unanswered," Cheong wrote.

Commentator Bo Snerdley besides chimed successful and said helium genuinely hopes Gabbard sues Wasserman Schultz "for slander and defamation of character."

During the Friday interview, Wasserman Schultz attacked Gabbard for secretly meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, in 2017 who was accused of utilizing chemic weapons connected his ain citizens during the country’s civilian war. Gabbard refused to telephone him a warfare transgression during her 2020 statesmanlike run and said she was skeptical that his authorities perpetrated a chemic weapons onslaught earlier that twelvemonth that killed dozens of Syrians.

"Tulsi Gabbard is idiosyncratic who has met with warfare criminals, violated the Department of State's guidance and secretly clandestinely went to Syria and met with Assad who gassed and attacked his ain radical with chemic weapons," Wasserman Schultz said.

Gabbard, a erstwhile Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who bucked her enactment and switched to the Republican Party, erstwhile called her erstwhile enactment arsenic a clump of warmongers."

It’s not the archetypal clip Democrats person accused Gabbard of being a Russian asset.

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In a 2019 interview, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton labeled her "favorite of the Russians" portion citing evident Russian media enactment for her. 

Gabbard served successful the U.S. House of Representatives from aboriginal 2013 done aboriginal 2021 arsenic a Democrat. She mounted a statesmanlike bid successful 2019 but yet dropped retired successful 2020 and backed Joe Biden.

The Republican is besides a seasoned who served successful Iraq, arsenic good arsenic an Army reservist. She was promoted to lieutenant colonel successful the U.S. Army Reserves three years ago.

The erstwhile lawmaker supported Trump during the 2024 predetermination and announced that she was joining the Republican Party.

President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with erstwhile Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed Trump, astatine the National Guard Association of the United States' 146th General Conference, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, successful Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

"I've been a worker for implicit 21 years, and presently service arsenic a Lieutenant Colonel successful the Army Reserve," she noted successful a station connected Veterans Day this week. 

In a connection connected Wednesday, Trump said that Gabbard "has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of each Americans." 

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"As a erstwhile Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has wide enactment successful some Parties - She is present a arrogant Republican!" Trump said, per a connection via his modulation team.

"I cognize Tulsi volition bring the fearless tone that has defined her illustrious vocation to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace done Strength. Tulsi volition marque america each proud!"

The manager of nationalist quality leads the U.S. quality community, which includes overseeing the National Intelligence Program and advising the president connected information matters. The existent nationalist quality manager is Avril Haines.

Once confirmed to the position, Gabbard volition counsel Trump, the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council connected nationalist information matters.

Fox News’ Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.