Malta’s weathered casements at Fort St. Elmo bore witness to another historic moment, this time not on the island, but across the Atlantic. Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to the U.S. Congress and a controversial figure in American politics, has resigned from her post as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). But what does this mean for Malta, you ask?

Tulsi Gabbard’s political career has been anything but conventional. A four-term congresswoman from Hawaii, she made history in 2012 when she became the first Samoan-American and the first Hindu to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Her resignation from the DNC, where she served as a vice chair since 2016, comes as a surprise to many, given her active role in the party’s affairs.

Gabbard, a veteran of the Hawaii National Guard, served two tours of duty in the Middle East. Her military background and progressive views on foreign policy have often put her at odds with the Democratic establishment. Her resignation letter, released on Wednesday, hinted at these tensions, stating, “I can no longer remain a member of the Democratic Party, as it continues to enable and embolden the corrupt corporate machine that’s destroying our democracy.”

So, what does this have to do with Malta, you might wonder? The answer lies in the Russia investigation that has dominated U.S. politics for the past few years. Gabbard was one of the few Democratic lawmakers who openly criticized the investigation, arguing that it was politically motivated and lacked evidence. She even went as far as to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017, a move that was widely criticized by her party.

Malta, too, has found itself entangled in the Russia investigation. Remember Joseph Muscat’s resignation as Prime Minister in December 2019? The investigation into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, which implicated high-ranking government officials, was a significant factor in his departure. The Russia investigation, with its tendrils reaching into Malta, has been a complex web that Gabbard has been trying to untangle.

Gabbard’s resignation from the DNC leaves many questions unanswered. Will she run for president again in 2024? Will she continue to challenge the Democratic establishment? . As for Malta, the Russia investigation continues to cast a long shadow. With a new government in place, the focus is on rebuilding trust and restoring Malta’s reputation on the international stage.

But one thing is clear: Tulsi Gabbard’s resignation is a significant development in U.S. politics, with potential implications for Malta. As we watch the political scene evolve, one thing remains constant: the casements at Fort St. Elmo continue to stand sentinel, silent witnesses to history in the making.