US Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard, known for her support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, announced her intention to run for next year's presidential election.
The 37-year-old has been involved in the Iraq war, and her relationship with the Democratic Party has fluctuated. She will join the list of liberal Democrats seeking the party's nomination, and officially launched her campaign from Hawaii, which she has represented in Congress since 2013.
Gabard has been opposed to US interference with President Trump in Syria and the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, who went to meet him secretly in January 2017, drawing criticism from some within her party.
Gabbard is an American descent from Samoa, the first Hindu woman to be elected to Congress.
She told the crowd that she was competing against "strong politicians and greedy companies" and vowed to restore "dignity, honor and respect for the presidency."
"Join me in putting this spirit of service above oneself in the lead, and stand against the forces of greed and corruption."
Gavard led headlines in 2016 to withdraw from a leadership post in the Democratic National Committee because of the party's decision to reduce the number of debates between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, a move analysts said helped Clinton.
Gabard faces stiff competition with other party candidates pursuing similar policies, such as Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren.
Polls have so far shown little support for Gabbard, and there are signs of problems in her nascent campaign, such as the resignation of the campaign manager after weeks of wrangling.
Gabard served in Iraq and Kuwait with a field medical unit of the National Guard of Hawaii, an experience that fueled her foreign policy views on non-interference in the affairs of other countries.
