Who is Tulsi Gabbard and why is Donald Trump taking her help to prepare for debate with Kamala Harris?

After much confusion, the date for the first U.S. Presidential debate, in which the two candidates in the race for the elections to be held in November 2024 will come face-to-face, has been announced. ABC will host the first presidential debate between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican challenger Donald Trump in Philadelphia on September 10.

CREDIT: REUTERS

First debate between Trump and Harris

This will be Trump's second Presidential debate this year, as he and the then-Democratic candidate Joe Biden had a face-off in June, the poor performance at which exacerbated calls for him to drop out. Trump and Biden were originally scheduled to have a second presidential debate on September 10, which will now go ahead with Harris replacing the incumbent U.S. President.

CREDIT: AP

Who is Tulsi Gabbard

As the two camps prepare for their first face-off, Trump has received help from an unlikely ally in his debate preparation against Harris. Former Democratic Party leader Tulsi Gabbard is reportedly helping Trump with his presidential debate preparations.

Gabbard, like Harris, has mixed racial heritage, with her father being of Samoan and European ancestry, while her mother was from Indiana. Gabbard was born in American Samoa, and she was named Tulsi by her mother, who became interested in Hinduism.

CREDIT: REUTERS

She made her political debut in 2002 when she was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives at the age of 21, making her the youngest legislator elected in Hawaii's history and the youngest woman ever elected to a U.S. state legislature. A year later, in 2003, she joined the Hawaii Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq for a year.

CREDIT: CIVIL BEAT

2020 US Presidential campaign

She made national headlines in 2019 after launching her 2020 presidential campaign, becoming the first female combat veteran to run for president. However, in March 2020, Gabbard dropped out of the race and endorsed Joe Biden. In 2022, Gabbard left the Democratic Party and now identifies as an independent.

Also read: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Says She'll Contest 2020 Polls

CREDIT: AP

Tulsi Gabbard vs Kamala Harris

The Trump campaign seems to be taking lessons from Gabbard for the presidential debate due to how well she performed when debating with Harris in 2019 during the Democratic primary.

Gabbard had attacked Harris on the debate stage over her record as a prosecutor, saying, ¡°There is no excuse for that, and the people who suffered under your reign as prosecutor, you owe them an apology.¡±

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