US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard began a multi-nation tour of the Indo-Pacific on Tuesday, with visits planned to Japan, Thailand, and India.
Calling herself a "child of the Pacific," Gabbard said her itinerary also includes a short visit to France before returning to Washington, DC.
Sharing on X, she wrote, "I am wheels up on a multi-country journey to the Indo-Pacific, a region I know well having grown up as a Pacific child. I'll be visiting Japan, Thailand, and India, with a quick stop in France on my way back to DC.". Developing solid relationships, trust, and open lines of communication are crucial to reaching President Trump's goals of peace, freedom, and prosperity. Stop number one: Honolulu, where I will be visiting IC partners and INDOPACOM commanders, and our soldiers training.
The New York Times reported that Gabbard is next week scheduled to attend a security conference in India.
This is her second foreign travel since being appointed under the Trump administration. The week after her confirmation last month, Gabbard went to Germany to visit the Munich Security Conference, according to New York Times.
She arrived in Hawaii on Wednesday, where a principal National Security Agency (NSA) office is located as well as the INDOPACOM headquarters. The officials verified that during her visit to Hawaii, Gabbard, who once served eight years in Congress for the state, will have an audience with military and intelligence personnel and will view US troops during training.
Her Asian portion of her travels will end on March 18, when she is set to give a speech at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, an international security conference. She was invited in person by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will have bilateral meetings with Indian leadership as well as other international officials, a top Trump administration official said.
In the meantime, the Trump administration keeps insisting on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, calling on Kyiv to offer concessions to bring an end to the war.
During the Munich Security Conference in February, comments by Trump administration officials provoked intense reactions from European diplomats. Vice President JD Vance's condemnation of Europe for supposedly stifling conservatives' free speech was especially striking, New York Times reported.
But Gabbard's address, which was aimed at enhancing counterterrorism collaboration between the US and Europe, received a warm welcome from European leaders keen on upholding intelligence ties. A high-ranking administration official said that in her trip to India, Gabbard will highlight the same issues, such as counterterrorism, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and intelligence-sharing, New York Times reported.
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