Tulsi Gabbard net worth is something many people are curious about. She is a former U.S. congresswoman and a military veteran. She became well-known for her political views and her run for president in 2020. Over the years, she has worked in government, the military, and media. These roles have helped her build her career and income.
So, let’s take a closer look at how she earns her money and what has helped her build her wealth.
Tulsi Gabbard in Brief
| Full Name | Tulsi Gabbard |
| Date of Birth | April 12, 1981 |
| Place of Birth | Leloaloa, American Samoa |
| Occupation | Politician, Former U.S. Representative, Military Officer |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (167 cm) |
| Weight | 125 lbs (57 kg) |
| Spouse | Abraham Williams (m. 2015), Eduardo Tamayo (m. 2002–2006) |
| Net Worth | $1 million |
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What Tulsi Gabbard Net Worth?
Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and military officer with an estimated net worth of $1 million. Most of her wealth comes from her time in Congress, military service, book deals, and media appearances. She served as a U.S. Representative for Hawaii from 2013 to 2021, earning a $174,000 annual salary as a member of Congress.
Since leaving Congress, she has built a career as a political commentator and author. These new ventures have added to her income, allowing her to stay relevant in media and politics.
Early Life
Tulsi Gabbard was born on April 12, 1981, in Leloaloa, American Samoa. She is the fourth of five children of Mike and Carol Gabbard. Her family moved to Hawaii in 1983 when she was two. Gabbard has three brothers, Jay, Bhakti, and Aryan, and a sister, Vrindavan. Her name, Tulasi, comes from a sacred plant in Hinduism.
Gabbard grew up in a mixed-cultural home. Her mother is from Indiana and Michigan, and her father has Samoan and European roots. Gabbard enjoyed surfing, martial arts, and yoga during her childhood. She was mostly home-schooled but spent two years at a girls’ school in the Philippines. Gabbard learned spiritual lessons from the Bhagavad Gita and followed the Hindu faith as a teenager.
In her early adulthood, Tulsi Gabbard worked for Stand Up For America (SUFA), an organization founded by her father after the September 11 attacks. She also worked for The Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values, a group that opposed gay marriage. Gabbard later worked as an educator for the Healthy Hawai’i Coalition and as a martial arts instructor.
At 21, Gabbard dropped out of Leeward Community College to run for a seat in the Hawaii state legislature. She won and became the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. state legislature. In 2009, she graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a degree in Business Administration.
Military service
In April 2003, Tulsi Gabbard joined the Hawaii Army National Guard while serving in the Hawaii State Legislature. In July 2004, she went to Iraq for a 12-month tour. Gabbard worked with the Medical Company, 29th Support Battalion. She served at Logistical Support Area Anaconda and completed her tour in 2005. Because of her deployment, she didn’t run for reelection.
During her time in Iraq, Gabbard earned a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was also awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency.
In March 2007, Tulsi Gabbard graduated at the top of her class from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School in Alabama. She became the first woman to do so. Afterward, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 29th Infantry Brigade Special Troops Battalion as a Military Police officer. Gabbard served in Kuwait from 2008 to 2009. She became one of the first women to enter a Kuwaiti military facility and received an award from the Kuwait National Guard.
On October 12, 2015, she was promoted to major. Gabbard continued serving in the Hawaii Army National Guard until 2020, when she transferred to the 351st Civil Affairs Command, a U.S. Army Reserve unit. In July 2021, she was promoted to lieutenant colonel while serving in the Horn of Africa. She was later given command of the 1st Battalion, 354th Regiment in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a lieutenant colonel, Gabbard has top-secret security clearance.
Political career
Tulsi Gabbard was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 2002. At 21, she became the youngest person ever elected in Hawaii’s history. She won the Democratic primary with 43% of the vote and the general election with 60.7%, beating Republican Alfonso Jimenez.
In 2004, Gabbard decided to join the Army National Guard and serve in Iraq. She announced she would not run for a second term, and Rida Cabanilla won the Democratic primary. Gabbard’s name stayed on the ballot because of state law.
After returning from Iraq in 2009, Gabbard ran for a seat on the Honolulu City Council. She won the open primary in 2010 with 26.8% of the vote. In the November runoff, she defeated Sesnita Moepono with 49.5% of the vote.
Tulsi Gabbard worked on several initiatives as a council member. She helped food truck vendors by easing parking rules. She also introduced a bill allowing city workers to remove personal belongings from public property after 24 hours’ notice. Despite some opposition from groups like the ACLU and Occupy Hawai’i, the bill passed and became City Ordinance 1129.
Director of National Intelligence (2025)
On November 13, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump chose Tulsi Gabbard to be the new director of national intelligence (DNI). He praised her military experience and leadership.
Some Republican senators, like Eric Schmitt and Markwayne Mullin, defended her against attacks from Democrats. They said that disagreeing politically doesn’t mean someone is disloyal. Other supporters, including former intelligence officials and members of the National Border Patrol Council, liked her commitment to national security. More than 250 veterans, including Brian Mast and Christopher C. Miller, signed a letter backing her.
However, Gabbard’s nomination was controversial. Media outlets criticized her. Some Democrats raised concerns about her past meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and her views that seemed to support Russian ideas. Former CIA Director Leon Panetta and others questioned her lack of intelligence experience. Critics even called her a “Russian asset,” but there was no proof of any collaboration with Russia.
Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate on January 30, 2025. She promised to keep her political views separate from her duties if confirmed. She denied knowing Edward Snowden during his time at the NSA and defended her past work on the Espionage Act. She also made it clear she would not push for a pardon for Snowden.
On February 4, 2025, the Senate Intelligence Committee voted 9-8 to advance her nomination. The full Senate confirmed her as DNI on February 12, 2025, with a 52-48 vote.
Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in by Attorney General Pam Bondi on February 12, 2025. She became the first female military combat veteran, the first Pacific Islander American, and the first Hindu American to hold a Cabinet-level position. She promised to focus on protecting the safety and security of the American people.
Personal life
At 21, Tulsi Gabbard married Eduardo Tamayo in 2002. They divorced in 2006 after Gabbard returned from serving in Iraq with the National Guard.
She later married Abraham Williams, a cinematographer, in 2015. Williams is of European and Samoan descent. Gabbard and Williams tried to start a family but struggled with IVF procedures.
Awards
On November 25, 2013, Tulsi Gabbard was honored with the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award. This took place at the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government for her work supporting veterans.
On March 20, 2014, Gabbard was recognized by Elle magazine during their “Women in Washington Power List” at the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
On February 26, 2015, she received the National Association of Counties County Alumni Award for her strong commitment to the nation’s counties.
On July 15, 2015, Gabbard was given the Friend of the National Parks Award by the National Parks Conservation Association.
On September 30, 2018, she was awarded the Ho’ola Na Pua Advocacy Award for her work with human trafficking survivors in Hawaii. Later, on October 16, 2018, she was named Hawaii Pacific University’s 2018 Paul T. C. Loo Distinguished Alumni.
Real Estate
In 2009, Tulsi Gabbard bought a foreclosed home in Oklahoma for $39,000. She sold it in 2012 for $110,000, making a good profit.
In 2014, Tulsi bought a house in Washington DC for $600,000.