GREENSBORO, N.C. — Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who now supports Donald Trump, joined him on stage in Greensboro on Tuesday night to announce that she’s joining the Republican Party.

After walking out to loud cheers from supporters of the former president, Gabbard said she was joining “the party of the people, the party of equality, the party that was founded to fight against and end slavery in this country, and is the party of of common sense, and the party that is led by a president who has the courage and strength to fight for peace.”

Trump introduced her at the end of his almost two-hour remarks, calling her “a woman that everybody loves” who has “so much common sense.” As Gabbard made her way to the podium and the crowd cheered, Trump embraced her and said, “Boy, are you popular!”

Gabbard said the Democratic Party, which she belonged to for more than 20 years, is now “completely unrecognizable.” She sharply criticized Vice President Kamala Harris as being an ineffective leader, and slammed her for touting the endorsement of former Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, and appearing with her on the campaign trail.

“She is anti-freedom, she is pro-censorship, she is pro-open borders, and she is pro-war,” Gabbard said of Harris. “Without even pretending to care about peace, as President Trump talked about, she has shamelessly embraced the endorsement and support of warmongers like Dick Cheney, and Liz Cheney.”

Gabbard announced just over two years ago, on Oct. 11, 2022, that she was leaving the Democratic Party and would register as an independent, ABC News reported.

She ran for president as a Democrat in 2020 and ended her campaign in a crowded field of candidates. She then endorsed Joe Biden as president, USA Today reported.

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