In August 2019, after Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard attacked Harris for her record as a prosecutor in a presidential debate, Harris characterized Gabbard as an "apologist" for al-Assad's regime. In November 2019, during a presidential debate, Harris condemned Gabbard for her decision to meet with al-Assad in 2017, her subsequent skepticism about claims that Assad used chemical weapons against civilians in Khan Shaykhun, and her refusal to call al-Assad a war criminal.