Tulsi Gabbard: Trump Hiding Saudis’ Role in Sri Lanka Jihad from Christians

Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii, an official candidate for the Democratic
ERIC BARADAT/AFP/Getty Images
Joshua Caplan

2020 Democrat presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI) said Wednesday that the Trump White House is attempting to “hide the truth” about terrorism “inspired by extremist Saudi ideology” from Christian voters.

In a video shared to social media, Gabbard argued the attacks on Christians, including the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka that killed at least 359 people, are “inspired by extremist Saudi ideology that the Saudis spend billions propagating worldwide.”

“The Saudis have been spending billions of dollars spreading this most intolerant form of Islam, sometimes known as Wahhabi Salafism, through this mosque and schools around the world,” Gabbard said.

She continued: “There are hundreds of terrorist organizations who are inspired by and followers of this ideology yet President Trump and Pence, who pose as defenders of Christians and Christianity, have embraced the Saudis — the purveyors of this anti-Christian jihad.”

The Hawaii congresswoman then urged her supporters to call on President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to end the U.S.’s “unholy alliance with Saudi Arabia.”

This is not the first time Gabbard has accused Trump of submission to the Saudis. After the president criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for dismissing the 9/11 terror attacks, Gabbard lashed out, saying Trump has “been acting as al-Qaeda’s big brother and protector in Syria” and has turned America into a “prostitute” for the Saudi government.

Her latest comments come after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) claimed responsibly for a series of attacks on Sri Lankan churches and luxury hotels.

Sri Lankan officials have said the attackers were recruited from the local extremist group named the “National Towheeth Jama’ath,” which is believed to have ties to ISIS. Several suspects arrested in connection to the coordinated attacks have claimed links to ISIS or claimed membership of the terror organization, according to the South China Morning Post.

President Trump expressed his condolences to the people of Sri Lanka shortly after the attacks, saying that the U.S. stands “ready to help.” 

At least one U.S. citizen —Denver resident Dieter Kowalski —  is confirmed to have died in the attacks, as Breitbart News previously reported.

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