Tulsi Gabbard announced on Friday that she is resigning from her position as U.S. President Donald Trump’s Director of National Intelligence following her husband’s diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer.
According to reports, Gabbard informed President Trump of her decision during a meeting at the Oval Office, with her resignation set to take effect on June 30.
In a resignation letter shared on X, Gabbard expressed gratitude to Trump for the opportunity to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence over the past year and a half.
She explained that her husband, Abraham Williams, had recently been diagnosed with bone cancer and said she could not continue in the demanding role while he faced the illness alone.
President Trump later confirmed the resignation on his Truth Social platform, praising Gabbard for her service and stating that she wished to focus on supporting her husband through his treatment.
Trump also announced that Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas would serve as acting director following her departure.
Despite the official explanation, reports citing sources familiar with the matter claimed that Gabbard had faced growing tensions with the White House and had effectively been pushed out of the administration.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman and military officer, had previously faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans over several foreign policy positions, including comments regarding Russia, NATO, Syria, and Iran.
Her tenure as intelligence chief also drew controversy over efforts to declassify sensitive documents, revoke security clearances of former officials, and investigate issues related to election security and the origins of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Senator Mark Warner said the position of Director of National Intelligence requires an independent and experienced intelligence professional focused primarily on foreign intelligence matters.
