President-elect Donald Trump met Monday with Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, an early Bernie Sanders supporter, according to pool reports.
The Hawaii congresswoman is one of the first Democrats to meet with Trump since his election victory earlier this month.
Trump and Gabbard had a “frank and positive conversation” in which they discussed foreign policy issues like US policy in Syria and the fight against extremist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda, according to a statement Gabbard released after the meeting.
Gabbard said she felt it was important that she meet with Trump to discuss how to avoid “the drumbeats of war” that may lead to US intervention in Syria, among other national security concerns.
"Where I disagree with President-elect Trump on issues, I will not hesitate to express that disagreement," the statement read. "However, I believe we can disagree, even strongly, but still come together on issues that matter to the American people and affect their daily lives."
Gabbard endorsed Sanders in the Democratic primary after resigning as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. She aligns with him on a number of policy positions, such as opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and opposition to "counterproductive interventionist wars."
Trump is also strongly against the TPP, once saying that the deal was "another disaster done and pushed by special interests." He also criticized Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for referring to the deal as the "gold standard" when she was secretary of state. Clinton later said she opposed the trade agreement.
The TPP is dead. This is what's possible when we the people rise up, speak out, and fight for the people and our planet. #NoTPP pic.twitter.com/P5HFq9ag7c
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) November 19, 2016
Steve Bannon, Trump's former campaign CEO and current White House chief strategist, likes Gabbard because of her more conservative positions on gun control, refugee admission, and Islamic extremism, according to The Hill.
"I think you're going to see a lot of interesting stuff," a source familiar with Bannon told The Hill. "And you're going to see them forge alliances on the world stage with some interesting characters."