Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as the director of national intelligence, citing her husband’s recent cancer diagnosis as the reason.
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Gabbard submitted her letter of resignation on Friday, listing June 30 as her final day in the position. She had notified Trump of her resignation in the Oval Office on Friday, according to Fox News, which was first to report of the resignation.
“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026,” she wrote. “My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer He faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle.”
I am deeply grateful for the trust President Trump placed in me and for the opportunity to lead @ODNIgov for the last year and a half.
Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026. My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare… pic.twitter.com/PS0Dxp5zpd
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) May 22, 2026
Gabbard confirmed her resignation in a social media post, saying she is “deeply grateful for the trust President Trump placed in me” over the last year and a half.
Trump also confirmed the resignation in a post on Truth Social. The president announced that Aaron Lukas, who current serves as the principal deputy director of national intelligence, will be elevated as Gabbard’s replacement when she steps down.
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Gabbard is the latest in a line of Cabinet members to depart the Trump administration after former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi were removed from their positions.
Gabbard is an Army National Guard veteran and member of the U.S. House of Representatives who rose to prominence as a Democratic presidential candidate in 2020. She touted her military experience as she pushed for an anti-interventionist foreign policy as part of her platform.
She left the Democratic Party two years later, and endorsed Trump’s reelection bid in 2024.
Gabbard was confirmed as Trump’s director of national intelligence overseeing the country’s 18 agencies within the U.S. intelligence community early in his second term.
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