Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) officially kicked off her campaign for president on Saturday. In a speech in Oahu, Gabbard, 37, stressed lessons she learned while serving in her state’s National Guard. “When we raise our right hand and volunteer to serve, we set aside our own interests to serve our country, to fight for all Americans. We serve as one, indivisible, united, unbreakable ― united by this bond of love for each other and love for our country,” she said. “It is in this spirit that today I announce my candidacy for president of the United States of America.”

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: It is this principle of service above self, that is at the heart of every soldier. At the heart of every service number. And it is in this spirit, that today I announce my candidacy for President of the United States of America. https://t.co/WPNhZYVLD6pic.twitter.com/qyZzOK7Izm — CBS News (@CBSNews) February 3, 2019

The four-term congresswoman took aim at U.S. interventionism, slamming officials who engage in armed conflicts at great costs while treating troops “as political pawns and mercenaries for hire in wars around the world.” “We must stand up... against powerful politicians from both parties who sit in ivory towers thinking up new wars to wage [and] new places for people to die,” said Gabbard, who served in Iraq. Other policy positions that the White House hopeful discussed included Medicare for all, criminal justice reform, environmental advocacy and the need t combat privacy infringement by big tech companies.

“We must fight for the soul of our country.”



Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is launching her 2020 presidential campaign live: https://t.co/WPNhZYVLD6pic.twitter.com/lpWRQNGUlg — CBS News (@CBSNews) February 3, 2019