This archive report was first published on 12 October 2019.
Published on October 12, 2019, a time when the 2020 US presidential election was gaining momentum, an article in The New York Times highlighted the unique aspects of Tulsi Gabbard's campaign. As a veteran of the Iraq war, Gabbard's message of reducing America's global policing efforts resonated with many voters seeking to break free from partisan divisions.
Her campaign received support from notable figures, including Joe Rogan, a popular podcast host, and Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, who donated to her campaign. However, some Democrats drew parallels between Gabbard's narrative and the Russian disinformation campaign during the 2016 presidential election, which aimed to manipulate public opinion by claiming the electoral system was broken.
Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org, a liberal veterans organization, defended Gabbard's antiwar message, stating, 'In reality, Tulsi is really running on an antiwar message that's consistent with where a lot of veterans are.' Soltz emphasized that Gabbard's campaign was not driven by a conspiracy theory but rather by her genuine antiwar stance.
Despite Soltz's reassurance, concerns about foreign interference in the 2020 election persisted. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) was aware of Gabbard's frequent mentions in Russian state news media, including RT, which mentioned her more frequently than other candidates polling in single digits.
Disinformation experts pointed to suspicious activity surrounding Gabbard's campaign, including a Twitter hashtag #KamalaHarrisDestroyed that trended among her supporters after the first Democratic debate. However, there was no evidence of coordination between these networks and the campaign itself.
