FORMER US presidential candidate and left-leaning congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has reiterated her calls to outgoing US President Donald Trump to pardon whistleblowers Edward Snowden and Julian Assange.

Earlier this week, Mr Trump issued a presidential pardon to his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

“Since you're giving pardons to people,” Ms Gabbard tweeted at the president on Thursday, “please consider pardoning those who, at great personal sacrifice, exposed the deception and criminality of those in the deep state.”