Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a dire warning about radical Islamist ideology during her speech at the Turning Point USA conference. Conference AmericaFest on the weekend.
Gabbard, in her explosive comments, warned that Islamist ideology, as a political force seeking to impose its principles through laws or violence, poses the greatest threat to Western civilization and American freedom.
That's a hell of a difference from one of her predecessors in Avril Haines, Biden's DNI, who had unhealthy obsession with “domestic social media extremism” and “white extremism.”
It's nice to get back to a more realistic basis.
Back to the speech: Gabbard described radical Islam as a political ideology that seeks to impose its principles on others, either through laws or violence. Thus, this makes it fundamentally incompatible with the American foundations of individual and God-given freedom.
“There is a threat to our freedom that is not talked about often enough, and it is the greatest immediate and long-term threat to both our freedom and our security, and that is the threat to Islamist ideology,” she told the crowd, who responded with applause.
“It is promoted by people who not only do not believe in freedom, their fundamental ideology is contrary to the foundation we find in our Constitution and Bill of Rights, namely, that we are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
🚨 JUST COMING: Tulsi Gabbard LEAVES against Islamism. She does it!
“Patterson, New Jersey proudly calls itself “the first Muslim city.” They work to implement these Islamic principles that are imposed on people through laws or violence.”
“This is ALREADY HAPPENING in places like… pic.twitter.com/tTd6VqDCHy
— Eric Dougherty (@EricLDaugh) December 20, 2025
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Gabbard cited real-life examples, noting that cities such as Paterson, New Jersey, proudly proclaimed themselves “the first Muslim city” while working to implement Islamic principles. She said similar efforts are underway in places like Houston.
The director also pointed to Europe, where she said Christmas markets in Germany are being canceled due to security risks associated with this ideology.
“The threats posed by this Islamist ideology come in many forms. As Christmas approaches, right now in Germany, they are canceling Christmas markets because of this threat. In places like DearbornIn Michigan and Minneapolis, Minnesota, Islamist clerics are openly promoting this Islamist ideology in an attempt to recruit and radicalize young people,” she explained.
“Earlier this year, a conference was held that included organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations, also known as CAIR, which called for action to use American legal and political systems to apply sharia law“This is already happening in some places,” Gabbard added, drawing cheers. This is already happening in places like Houston“
“It's not something that can Maybe happen. This already happening here, within our borders. Patterson, NJ proudly calls itself first Muslim city. They are working to implement these Islamic principles in their governments, which are imposed on the people through laws or violence.”
Gabbard stressed that within Islamist ideology, “there is no such thing as individual freedom,” positioning it as a direct attack on Western civilization and calling on Americans to recognize the seriousness of the threat that already exists within our borders.
Although the threat is very real, the DPR has proposed a way to combat radical Islam; a path that includes fighting for free speech, defending the Constitution, and electing public officials who “not only believe in American values, but actually live them.”
There aren't many of them in the halls of Congress these days, that's for sure.
“We as Americans must stand proudly for freedom and understand that a free society cannot survive if it refuses to defend itself,” she said.
Gabbard's speech is a much-needed wake-up call. The threat is not simply actual terrorism (although that is obviously a huge aspect), but that there is an active political movement seeking to impose Sharia principles by force.
In an era when too many leaders tiptoe around this incompatibility with individual freedom, her willingness to name the enemy is refreshing. This is exactly the type of unshakable, reality-based truth that Americans demand from our national security leaders.
Well done Ms. Gabbard.
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