Former Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said Friday during “Fox News Primetime” that both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are in danger of being destroyed by the “establishment elite” if they stand on principles.

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“This is a bigger problem than Democrats or Republicans,” Gabbard told host Will Cain. “This is about the establishment elite trying to hold on to their power and continue to increase it. And the mainstream media is a powerful arm of that establishment elite,” she continued, noting that politicians are either “with them, agreeing with them, supporting them, carrying the water for them.” (RELATED: ‘Judge, Jury And Executioner: Tulsi Gabbard Says Joe Biden ‘Needs To Apologize’ For Throwing Border Agents Under The Bus)

Gabbard argued that the alternative is for the elite to turn on their detractors and then “target you, censor you, demonize you, and call you a domestic terrorist and stick the attorney general on you. Seeing you as a threat to their power and, therefore, the enemy.”

The former congresswoman said America is “facing some incredibly serious challenges” that require “competent and caring leaders who put the interest of the people and our country above all else. But that’s not what we have.”

Cain reminded Gabbard that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had called the congresswoman “a favorite of the Russians” because she was often seen as a maverick candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination race.

Gabbard also confessed that she had not watched much of Wednesday night’s CNN town hall with President Joe Biden, however, what she had seen provided no evidence of the competent, caring leadership that made “any serious attempt to address the needs of the American people.” She said what is clear is that “our leaders don’t respect us, they don’t trust us.” (RELATED: ‘Bigger Than Democrats And Republicans’: Tulsi Gabbard Says ‘Powerful Elite’ Wants ‘To Silence And Control Us’)

Gabbard has criticized Democratic California Rep. Maxine Waters for using race to “divide” American voters. She has also said Biden’s immigration policy has failed and that he should reconsider reintroducing some of former President Donald Trump’s initiatives to avoid an “open border.”