President Donald Trump on Saturday praised Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard for voting “present” during the House’s vote on two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
“She didn’t vote the other day. I give her a lot of respect because she knew it was wrong,” Trump said during a speech he gave at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit in Florida. “But I don’t know, but I know one thing. She is not an agent of Russia.”
Gabbard, a Hawaii Democrat, was the lone representative to not take a side on impeachment. Many Democrats ripped her decision, and Politico reported that her vote also revived allegations she is a Russian asset.
In a statement released by her campaign after the vote, Gabbard framed the decision as one that put the country first, explaining that while she believes “Trump is guilty of wrongdoing,” she “could not in good conscience” vote “yes” or “no” because the process was too partisan and “fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country.”
She later tweeted a video delivering her statement.