The U.S.–Iran conflict has entered its third day, with oil prices spiking and three American service members confirmed dead. Now, an old video of Tulsi Gabbard is making the rounds again, and critics say it tells a very different story than the one that is being told now.
YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen boosted the resurfaced clip, which shows Gabbard accusing President Donald Trump of “[creating] a war with Iran.” The video was recorded during her 2020 presidential run and lays out a four-step march toward conflict.
“First, he tore up the Iran nuclear agreement,” she said, referring to Trump’s withdrawal from the Obama-era deal. “Second, he has escalated crippling sanctions.” Third, she said that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was being labeled as a terrorist organization, and fourth, the additional U.S. troops and military assets were being deployed to the region.
“We’ve got to stop Donald Trump from starting a war with Iran,” Gabbard said as she proposed the “No More Presidential Wars Act.” She then asked supporters to donate even a dollar if they could to help her qualify for the next debate.
Tulsi Gabbard: This foreign policy of regime change wars, of going around overthrowing and toppling countries we don’t like, is costing us trillions of dollars, causing more suffering in the countries where we go and wage these wars, and is undermining our own national security. pic.twitter.com/Z2gDq7kyTX
— sarah (@sahouraxo) March 1, 2019
As of now, according to CNBC’s coverage, the U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran have led to retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. Loud blasts are now being heard in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for three days. The UAE has intercepted 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and more than 500 Iranian drones since the attacks started.
Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, has rejected any negotiations with Washington and said that Tehran would not engage in talks. He, just like Gabbard, has blamed Trump for the region falling into “chaos.” Plus, Iran’s leadership is in transition after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the very first day of the conflict.
In markets, oil prices have surged as insurers raise rates for tankers crossing the Strait of Hormuz. A drone strike reportedly hit Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery, though a small fire was contained. European stocks are slumping, and gold prices climbed.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has confirmed three U.S. service members have been killed and five wounded. Congress is expected to vote on a war powers resolution next week. So Gabbard’s old warning is resonating:
“We are watching, and we will come after you.”
But does Gabbard’s past align with her current politics? In 2020, she called Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign reckless and said that the nuclear deal and troop deployments would provoke Iran.
🚨BREAKING: A clip of Donald Trump from 2024 is going mega viral: “I can tell you you’re not going to have a war with Iran with me as president.”
Truly curious if any MAGA voters are willing to admit they were played. pic.twitter.com/rR2FIRYqqz
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) March 1, 2026
Critics now argue that if those steps were waging “a war”, then the current conflict is just the outcome of that strategy. Supporters counter that the situation has evolved, particularly with Israel’s involvement and Iran’s attacks on Gulf states.
As of the time of writing, drones are being intercepted over Kuwait, and the UAE recalled its ambassador from Tehran. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed U.S. forces to use British bases in the region in what he believes is self-defense.
