Washington (CNN) Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on Tuesday took aim at presidential primary rival Sen. Kamala Harris, arguing the California Democrat "lacks the temperament" to be commander in chief.

"Kamala Harris is not qualified to serve as commander in chief and I can say this from a personal perspective as a soldier," Gabbard said on Fox Sports Radio . "She has no background or experience in foreign policy and she lacks the temperament that is necessary for commander in chief."

Lily Adams, communications director for the Harris campaign, offered a terse response to Gabbard's comments on Tuesday.

"Definite hard pass on taking national security advice from Assad's cheerleader," she said, drawing on Gabbard's controversial meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017.

Gabbard said Tuesday that Harris' lack of military experience would continue a "dangerous" cycle that would exacerbate the US "military industrial complex."

"I have seen the cost of war first hand and experienced the consequences of what happens when we have presidents from both political parties in the White House who lack experience and lack that foreign policy understanding," she said, "who therefore fall under the influence of the foreign policy establishments and military industrial complex."

"This is what is so dangerous and what we've seen over time," she added.

Gabbard appeared to acknowledge the long odds of her presidential bid during her campaign launch speech in February.

"The road ahead will not be easy," she said at the time. "The battles will be tough. The obstacles great, but I know when we stand united by our love for our people and for our country, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome."