Tulsi Gabbard repeatedly declines to call Edward Snowden a traitor

https://www.politico.com/video/2025/01/30/watch-gabbard-repeatedly-declines-to-call-edward-snowden-a-traitor-1504559

created by Sysiphus_Love on 01/02/2025 at 20:14 UTC

218 upvotes, 21 top-level comments (showing 21)

Comments

Comment by Sysiphus_Love at 01/02/2025 at 20:14 UTC

22 upvotes, 0 direct replies

https://thehill.com/homenews/5117815-tulsi-gabbard-snowden-controversy/

Comment by richarrow at 02/02/2025 at 14:12 UTC

36 upvotes, 2 direct replies

As someone who has an... intimate understanding of certain things... I would say he was a bit reckless, but in no way was he a traitor. For those surveillance programs he exposed for spying on us, well, sadly, I was not surprised, due to a basic and prior understanding of the Echelon program we had decades before the Snowden leaks. Nevertheless, those programs were wrong from the get go. Anyone who defends those programs are exactly the people who should never be trusted with the security and safety of this country. Period.

Comment by Jdobalina at 01/02/2025 at 20:33 UTC

156 upvotes, 2 direct replies

The main thing Snowden did was reveal that the United States isn’t so different from a lot of the countries we call “authoritarian.” It was the beginning of a greater understanding of the vast surveillance network that the U.S. runs, including on its own citizens. It was a shock to a lot of people who still viewed the U.S. in the same way their fifth grade civics textbook told them to.

Comment by Utdirtdetective at 01/02/2025 at 23:25 UTC

50 upvotes, 2 direct replies

The headline itself is propaganda. Why are people implying that he should be called a traitor, from either end of the aisle? Sure, Tulsi Gabbard refuses to call him a traitor. But so does Nancy Pelosi. What does this have to do with anything pertinent?

It doesn't. It's just another divisive puff piece designed to sew further tensions in an already strained political climate.

Comment by Real-Adhesiveness195 at 01/02/2025 at 20:49 UTC

47 upvotes, 7 direct replies

Wasn’t Snowdon the hero of the left a number of years ago?

Comment by BFOTmt at 01/02/2025 at 22:50 UTC*

14 upvotes, 1 direct replies

There are mechanisms to be a whistle blower. He could've blown that stuff up. And that made him a hero.

Taking large amounts of classified data that even he admitted he had not read or vetted, only to dump it to someone else who then published all of it? Yeah, that makes you a traitor.

If he was doing it the right way, he could've read what he took and dropped what proved his point. But he didn't.

Comment by Hazzman at 01/02/2025 at 23:52 UTC

11 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Uh because he fucking isn't a traitor. He did everything he could to make this information known with proper channels and with no other choice but to take the avenue he did. Anyone who thinks he is traitor does not uphold the values of this country or what it represents, regardless of political affiliation.

We have a constitution for a reason and if you don't like that constitution go live in Russia... A country we forced this man to run to in order to continue living as free a life as one possibly could given his circumstances... For very reasonable fear he would spend the rest of his life in a hole.

Either we value and honor truth, justice and liberty or we do not. There is no gray are there is no middle ground. There is no compromise. There is no man on the wall. You either defend the constitution or you don't. You sacrifice liberty for security or you don't. And don't tell me what we currently do... What we currently do ISNT GOOD.

Comment by IllAd5259 at 02/02/2025 at 00:39 UTC

10 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Snowden is a hero

Tulsi is just too honest for the senate & intel psychopaths who want the American people to get gaslighted into believing whatever nonsense it suits them at any instant in time

One day they lie and blame Al-Qaeda to justify invading Iraq which had nothing to do with it, another day fund Al-Qaeda to take over Syria

Comment by P320AW at 02/02/2025 at 22:20 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Edward Snowden has never been tried and convicted in a court of law, so how could she label him a traitor. Aren't we innocent until proven guilty? I'm sure in the secretive court in DC (the one that tries all IC cases) he'll be convicted. I don't believe anyone has been found innocent in that court ever. She has a right to her opinion and beliefs.

Comment by secretsqrll at 03/02/2025 at 18:40 UTC*

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I have mixed feelings about Mr. Snowden. On one hand I have some major reservations about his personal motivations. Its a complicated topic. Many folks in the IC are divided on it. Particularly after he ran to Russia. Is he a traitor? I think he's an idiot. I also think the PRISM program was stood up under very shaky legal framework.

Personally I am not a fan. I think regardless of personal views on legality he likely leaked information to our adversaries. That makes him a threat and a traitor.

Comment by The_Bart_The_604 at 02/02/2025 at 04:07 UTC

7 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I wouldn’t call someone who disclosed a massive surveillance program on a country’s own citizens a ‘traitor’. Sadly, it turns out no one really cared.

Comment by guccigraves at 01/02/2025 at 22:47 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

He revealed that policies and laws were being broken by intelligence agencies. Traitor? I don't think so. Did he go about it the wrong way? Yes, he did.

Comment by Watt_Knot at 01/02/2025 at 22:37 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Good.

Comment by 5553331117 at 01/02/2025 at 21:52 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

The horror!

Comment by RetisRevenge at 02/02/2025 at 01:11 UTC

4 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Because he isn't one. His book, Permanent Record, is a good read. Add it to your collection, it's worth it.

Comment by Bohappa at 02/02/2025 at 00:04 UTC

6 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I don’t believe he is a traitor. I think he’s a whistle blower. US agencies were violating the constitution and he shared evidence with journalists. I don’t know that I’d be that brave.