Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence (DNI), spoke with regard to solidarity by the United States with India in trying to hold perpetrators of the "horrific Islamist terrorist attack" in Pahalgam accountable.
The recent attack has been decried by many American leaders and officials, with President Donald Trump being accused by many being at the top among them to express solidarity by contacting Prime Minister Narendra Modi minutes after the attack on Tuesday.
On X, Gabbard said, "We are with India following the terroristic Islamist terrorist attack, in which 26 Hindus were targeted and killed at Pahalgam." She added, "My prayers and deepest sympathies are with all who have lost a loved one, PM Narendra Modi, and with all of India. We stand with you and pray for you as you seek out those who committed this barbaric act."
She is speaking now as India escalates its retaliation, asserting explicit "cross-border" connections to Pakistan. In response, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistan diplomats, downsized its staff at its missions, and shut down the Wagah border.
Indian Prime Minister Modi stated that India would track down each terrorist and their sponsors, swearing, "India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their supporters. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism."
The Resistance Front, which has ties to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has taken responsibility for the attack, reports say. Gabbard, who was close to India during her time in the US House of Representatives, also co-chaired the bipartisan India Caucus. Her interactions with the Modi administration have been very close, and last month she became the first member of President Trump's second-term cabinet to travel to India, where she met Prime Minister Modi and gave a keynote speech at the Raisina Dialogue on security matters.
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