Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s flight to Moscow could trigger the release of explosive secrets from his regime’s hidden files. The Syrian politician’s belongings could reveal embarrassing and potentially alarming details, possibly including ties to figures like Tulsi Gabbard – a long-time apologist for Assad and Donald Trump’s controversial pick to be the head of U.S. intelligence, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
While Assad likely took valuables when fleeing Damascus, rebel forces have already freed thousands of political prisoners from his regime’s prisons, hinting at the potential revelations to come. Among the key interests are the fate of missing journalist Austin Tice – who disappeared in 2012 – and the regime’s files on Gabbard, which are of particular interest to American governance. Questions have arisen about whether Gabbard was blackmailed or had compromising material on her, especially considering her controversial stance on Syria.
Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton said Saturday that it would be “very interesting” to examine Syrian files on “a number of Americans”, specifically calling out Gabbard for scrutiny. He told CNN: “When she visited Assad in Syria, he was effectively a Russian-Iranian ally. And what she said about Syria not being a direct threat to the United States, that was her justification for going, it’s completely false.”
“The Syrians and their combination with Iran and Hezbollah have posed direct threats to Americans across the region. They certainly pose a direct threat to key American allies, Israel and Jordan, and it’s going to be very interesting to see what the files that may be uncovered in the Syrian government, if the rebels succeed in capturing Damascus, show about a number of Americans” who downplayed the regime’s crimes.
Bolton previously raised concerns about Gabbard, suggesting last month she should undergo a “full field FBI investigation” before any U.S. Senate confirmation hearings.
Gabbard, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran who represented Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2021, gained national recognition for her anti-interventionist foreign policy views and her run in the 2020 Democratic presidential race. She often criticized Trump’s foreign policy during his first term, particularly his decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. Since leaving office, Gabbard has switched to the Republican Party and endorsed Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Trump’s selection of Gabbard to head U.S. intelligence agencies has raised eyebrows due to her controversial foreign policy positions, particularly in the Middle East. While she has been vocal about the Syria conflict, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley expressed concerns last month over Gabbard’s ties to Assad.
Haley said: “She went to Syria in 2017 for a photo-op with Bashar al-Assad while he was massacring his own people. She said she was skeptical that he was behind the chemical weapons attacks. Now this to me is disgusting.”
In 2017, Assad denied reports of a chemical attack in Idlib province that killed over 90 people, calling them a “100% fabrication”, despite multiple eyewitness accounts to the contrary. He has been accused of human rights violations, yet Gabbard has expressed her opposition to backing regime change in Syria.
Gabbard said in 2019: “Assad is not the enemy of the United States, because Syria does not pose a direct threat to the United States. My point is that whether it is Syria or any of these other countries, we need to look at how their interests are counter to or aligned with ours.” Despite her vocal opposition to conflict with Iran and Syria, Gabbard has also defended her meeting with Assad.
When asked if she had any regrets about the meeting, Gabbard said: “No, I think that it is, it continues to be very important for any leader in this country to be willing to meet with others, whether they be friends or adversaries or potential adversaries if we are serious about the pursuit of peace and securing our country.”
