Former Democratic U.S. Representative and current U.S. Army Reserve officer Tulsi Gabbard announced she is taking legal action against the Biden administration on Monday, Aug. 12, after she discovered she has been put on a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) terror watchlist. Gabbard said she learned of being on the TSA’s Quiet Skies watchlist — a TSA program for monitoring “elevated risks to aviation security”— from two TSA whistleblowers after an appearance on Fox News in July.
In the interview on Fox News with Laura Ingraham, Gabbard criticized U.S. intervention in Ukraine, calling it a “proxy war.” After, Gabbard said she began to be subject to more frequent and tedious searches at the airport.
The TSA whistleblowers reportedly acknowledged Gabbard is being trailed by agents but the reason for the enhanced security around her is still unclear.
“Of course, there’s no explanation given, which is why we are taking legal recourse,” Gabbard said.
However, Gabbard said she believes her criticism of the Biden administration may be the reason behind the inclusion on the Quiet Skies terror watchlist.
“Obviously, I’ve been very outspoken about the dangers of the Biden-Harris administration to our democracy and to our freedom and to our national security,” Gabbard said. “This is what happens as a result.”
Gabbard’s learning prompted outrage among Hawaii state lawmakers, which is the state Gabbard represented in Congress. Four state representatives sent a letter to the TSA demanding answers and calling the move “harassment.”
Reports said several agents and two explosive detection canine teams followed Gabbard and her husband in the airport in July.
“My own government, my president, my commander-in-chief is targeting me as a potential domestic terrorist. The closest word that comes to mind is a complete sense of betrayal,” Gabbard said.
The TSA is reportedly investigating the identity of the whistleblowers, who leaked “sensitive information” in Gabbard’s case.
The agency declined to comment on the alleged retaliatory probe but said that Quiet Skies “uses a risk-based approach to identify passengers and apply enhanced security measures on some domestic and outbound international flights.”
The agency did not confirm or deny Gabbard’s inclusion in the program.