Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi GabbardRepublicans call on DOJ to investigate Netflix over 'Cuties' film Hispanic Caucus campaign arm endorses slate of non-Hispanic candidates Gabbard says she 'was not invited to participate in any way' in Democratic convention MORE (D-Hawaii) tweeted Tuesday that war with Iran is “exactly what” President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE wants.

“Trump says he doesn't want war with Iran, but that's exactly what he wants, because that's exactly what Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu, al-Qaeda, Bolton, Haley, and other NeoCons/NeoLibs want,” the 2020 presidential candidate tweeted Tuesday. “That’s what he put first--not America.”

Trump says he doesn't want war with Iran, but that's exactly what he wants, because that's exactly what Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu, al-Qaeda, Bolton, Haley, and other NeoCons/NeoLibs want. That’s what he put first--not America. pic.twitter.com/kAPyxlKXDs — Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) May 14, 2019

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Gabbard’s tweet comes shortly after a report Tuesday that acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan Patrick Michael ShanahanHouse Armed Services chairman expresses confidence in Esper amid aircraft carrier coronavirus crisis Boeing pleads for bailout under weight of coronavirus, 737 fallout Esper's chief of staff to depart at end of January MORE presented White House officials with a proposal, backed by national security adviser John Bolton John BoltonMaximum pressure is keeping US troops in Iraq and Syria Woodward book trails Bolton, Mary Trump in first-week sales Ex-NSC official alleges 'unprecedented' intervention by White House aides in Bolton book review MORE, to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East in the event that Iran attacks American forces or accelerates the development of nuclear weapons.

Tensions with Iran have heightened in recent weeks, with Bolton announcing the deployment of a U.S. carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in response to what he called “a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings” from Iran.

Asked Monday about the possibility of seeking regime change in Iran, Trump responded, “We’ll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake.”

Last week, Shanahan said he approved the deployment due to “indications of a credible threat” from Iran. "We will hold the Iranian regime accountable for any attack on US forces or our interests,” Shanahan tweeted.