Tulsi Gabbard Outfits That Completely Missed The Mark

Tackling the political field has often come naturally to Tulsi Gabbard. Starting as a left-leaning representative from Hawaii who once endorsed Bernie Sanders, to inflating President Donald Trump's ego by joining his Cabinet, Gabbard has a knack for jockeying for the right position to move her career forward. After leaving Congress in 2021, Gabbard pivoted her career to campaign for Trump, with rumors that she was once even floated as an option for his vice presidential pick. On February 12, Gabbard was officially sworn in as Director of National Intelligence, making her the first Pacific Islander in the United States to hold the position. However, despite these professional accomplishments, how Gabbard dresses often comes under more scrutiny than her policy.

In Washington, D.C. it's expected of politicians to dress sophisticated and savvy, and when it comes to marginalized communities — like women in politics — there's always been intense pressure to present yourself a certain way. Fortunately for Gabbard, she typically has a polished sense of style, and always looks smart in a pantsuit. Often playing to her strengths, Gabbard consistently dresses better than some other members of Trump's inner circle (like Kimberly Guilfoyle and her knack for wearing outdated outfits). However, there have certainly been times that Gabbard has missed the mark with her styling. From ill-fitting pants to some questionable dresses, here are five outfits worn by Gabbard that didn't quite work.

Stepping into the SiriusXM studio in November 2019, Tulsi Gabbard was certainly wearing an outfit for the radio. As she was sitting down with Alex Marlow of "Breitbart News Daily," the bright red blazer Gabbard wore might have been a not-so-subtle hint that she was ready to be friendly with the overtly conservative news agency — a shift that could have contributed to her split from ex-husband Eduardo Tomayo. Whereas the blazer works well enough, the pants are a bad fit, both too loose near the knees and with a bootcut that doesn't flatter her. Plus, the hem goes just a tad long, causing the pants to drape awkwardly. Covering up her boots also cuts her height, making her appear shorter than she really is.

Luckily, Gabbard and Marlow weren't there to discuss her fashion. Instead, Gabbard was lodging criticism at the first administration of Donald Trump for its handling of relations with China. "I believe that being able to work out our differences with China, whether it's in regard to trade policy or other things, is absolutely necessary ... We've got to be able to look at this within the context of what's in the best interest of our country and national security," Gabbard said at the time. So, perhaps the red blazer was also a subtle nod to the flag colors of the Asian nation. Either way, it was the only part of her outfit that really shone while the rest missed the mark.

Making her second appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience," Tulsi Gabbard wore an outfit that didn't look quite put together. Posting a photo to her Instagram, Gabbard thanked her host for a wonderful time, while rocking an outfit that appears to have not seen an iron in weeks. While sitting in Rogan's studio is usually a laid-back affair, Gabbard's denim and button-down combo still managed to miss the mark. The skinny jeans are cute enough, although she's clearly copying style notes from Lauren Boebert who is notorious for wearing outdated outfits. The pink seersucker shirt is really what throws the whole look off. The fabric makes the shirt appear overly wrinkled, and the hem hits Gabbard's hips at an awkward length.

A ferocious athlete, Gabbard typically looks great in athleisure, and considering that part of her time on the show included a "workout ... cold plunge pain, and great conversation!" as she wrote on Instagram, it's a mystery as to why she wasn't at least in workout gear. No one would blame her for wanting to change back into street clothes after all that, but this look doesn't exactly scream post-workout either. All in all, it feels like a missed opportunity.

While Tulsi Gabbard was initially a potential pick for vice president for Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, she did ultimately snag the position of Director of National Intelligence. When Trump announced Gabbard's nomination to the position, some friends and fellow gun enthusiasts posted on Instagram to celebrate. Josh Smith, founder of the Montana Knife Company, shared a photo of Gabbard posing with Smith's wife Jessi Smith. The caption is a warm welcome to Gabbard joining the Trump team, including a heartfelt, "I love Tusli [sic] and her husband Abe and I'm proud to call them friends." However, what's throwing the joyous moment off is the outfit Gabbard has on in the snap.

Wearing a summery pink dress with somewhat messy ruching, Gabbard didn't nail the landing when it came to her accessories. Donning a hat for the aforementioned Montana Knife Company could have been an easy slam dunk, but the hat has two things going in the wrong direction. First, the size is a bit too large for Gabbard and not quite broken in, making it really stand out. Second, the colors of the hat clash with the neon pink of her dress. Overall, not the right fit.

When Tulsi Gabbard was officially confirmed to the position of Director of National Intelligence in February 2025, conservatives everywhere took to social media to celebrate, including The Conservateur which posted this tribute to the politician from Hawaii, "Say #ALOHA to DNI's newest Director, Tulsi Gabbard! #CONFIRMED and WELL DESERVED." The snap shows Gabbard smiling on a grassy beachside property most likely in her home state, but the dress Gabbard wore left much to be desired.

Considering that Gabbard and her husband Abraham Williams are known for their fondness of surfing, the beach, and Hawaii, it's no surprise that Gabbard would feel at ease strolling along the seascape. However, what is uneasy about the photo is her dress. What appears to be a wrap dress actually isn't, making the overall fit and style feel disjointed. The variety of patterns also clashes with each other, causing the eye to not be able to rest when looking at it. There also appear to be ruffles (or at least several layers of fabric) underneath the whole thing, making what could be an easy breezy dress overly chaotic and distracting.

As friends and loved ones gathered to celebrate Tulsi Gabbard on her new position within Donald Trump's second administration, the heartfelt posts kept coming. One Instagram post from Dave Rubin shows Rubin himself posing between Gabbard and media personality Sage Steele. For her part, Steele is outdressing everyone in this photo with her large buttoned blazer, but no one here is really nailing it. Gabbard especially is falling short in her bright MAGA red coat which, unfortunately, looks like a giant bathrobe. Instead of giving off an air of professionalism, it looks like Gabbard simply didn't want to leave the couch.

Even though the sense of fashion is off in this pic, the camaraderie was what shone through. Rubin captioned part of his post with, "Tulsi is going to be an amazing addition to this administration. I'm excited to see what she can do for the American people." Hopefully, as she steps into her power, Gabbard can continue to nail her wardrobe more often than not. Besides, her new position will most likely help her get a leg up on Gabbard's feud with Kamala Harris, which will be plenty to distract her from making more fashion fails.