Gabbard decries ‘war budget’ in Christmas Eve message

Democratic presidential hopeful Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) decried the recently passed $738 billion defense spending bill, calling it a “war budget” in a Christmas Eve post. 

“As we begin our celebrations for the birth of Jesus Christ, the prince of peace, here’s something to think about,” Gabbard said in a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday. “Congress and Trump just passed a $738 billion war budget instead of providing for the health, the safety, the security, the wellbeing of our people and our planet.”

“Stand with me, let’s end this insanity,” she added. 

Even as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, Congress & Trump just passed a $738B war budget, instead of providing for the health, safety, prosperity & wellbeing of the American people & our planet. Stand with me to end this insanity. #StandUpForPeace pic.twitter.com/2DK3kusW9y

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) December 24, 2019

President Trump last week signed the $738 billion National Defense Authorization Act. The 2020 spending bill created the Space Force military branch and gave federal workers 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

Gabbard’s presidential campaign has struggled to gain traction in a crowded field of Democratic White House candidates. The lawmaker faced criticism from within her party recently after voting “present” on Trump’s impeachment, with the former governor of Hawaii going so far as to call for her resignation.