A pre-State of the Union prayer has raised questions about Tulsi Gabbard’s faith after British journalist Mehdi Hasan questioned Trump’s aide about her religion.“I’m so confused. Did Gabbard convert to Christianity? I thought she was a proud Hindu,” Hassan wrote on X.The comment came after Gabbard shared a post about participating in a “Christian” prayer before the president’s address to Congress this week.
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“Quiet moments are often the most important. Last night before members of the Cabinet headed to the Council Chamber to deliver the President’s State of the Union address, we came together in prayer, offering all thanks and praise to God, and praying for clarity and strength to listen to Him, serve Him, and do His will,” she wrote.
The post included a photo showing Gabbard and other Cabinet members gathered with their heads bowed in prayer shortly before entering the House chamber. The setting appears to have been a private room or hallway in or near the U.S. Capitol building, used for preparation prior to the event. It was not a religious place.The prayer was held before US President Donald Trump delivered the 2026 State of the Union address to a joint session of the 119th US Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
The speech lasted approximately one hour and 48 minutes, making it the longest State of the Union address in US history. Trump spoke about the economy, immigration, trade and national security, and recognized many individuals, including athletes and military personnel.Gabbard has long publicly identified as Hindu. She was born on April 12, 1981 in Lilualoa, American Samoa, and raised in Hawaii. She later adopted the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. She practices Vaishnavism, a branch of Hinduism that emphasizes devotion to Vishnu and his avatars such as Krishna. In 2013, when she was sworn in to the US House of Representatives, she took the oath on the Bhagavad Gita, becoming the first Hindu member of the US Congress.She has previously spoken about her faith in interviews and public appearances.
