‘America first’ should not be misconstrued as 'America alone': Tulsi Gabbard
US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard on Tuesday said President Donald Trump’s ‘America first’ call should be not be misconstrued as ‘America is going alone’ or being ‘isolationist’.
The relationships US and its partners build together are critical for advancing mutual interests, said Gabbard while speaking at the Raisina Dialogue today.
Gabbard during her three-day (March 16-18) Delhi visit has had one-to-one meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
At the Raisina Dialogue on Tuesday, Gabbard said, “President Trump is committed to ‘America first’. But, it should not be misunderstood to mean ‘America alone’. The relationships we build together are critical to advance our mutual interests.”
On being asked by host Samir Saran, President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), if America was going into a shell, Gabbard said, “Trump with his ‘America first’ drive should not be mistaken as a President who doesn't understand the importance of relationships with other countries.”
Gabbard added, “Trump stands for peace. But, it is construed that if you stand for peace, then you must be ‘isolationist’. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
On India-US ties, Gabbard said the vibrant democracy served as the foundation for the special bond that had long existed between the two countries.
On Indo-Pacific region, Gabbard said, “It is a critical region that is not just a geographic space, it is a geopolitical centre of gravity for the 21st century.”
Ensuring peace and stability here is essential to our collective security objective of economic prosperity, she added.
On being asked about her visit to India, Gabbard said, “I have heard directly the serious concerns India has over its own security issue.”
“The US is providing the best timely and relevant Intelligence reporting to our leadership, for best informed decisions, but obviously strengthening our security partnership…
“The focus on technologies is imperative and it’s impossible to have a conversation about the challenges, opportunities, on the very quickly evolving cyber security needs with technology.”
Gabbard, who is not of Indian origin but is a practising Hindu, ended her speech with ‘Jai Shri Krishna’. She had started the conversation by explaining how the Pacific greetings of “Aloha” and Indian “Namaste” have a deep, spiritual, powerful meaning.
