Tulsi Gabbard announced she is stepping down as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, saying she will leave the post to care for her husband after he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Her resignation was disclosed on May 22, 2026 and is effective June 30.
Gabbard informed Trump of her decision during an Oval Office meeting on Friday, according to reports. In a letter she posted on X, she expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her and for the chance to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for the past year and a half. She wrote she could not in good conscience ask her husband to face his illness alone while she remained in a demanding, time-consuming role.
The White House, however, has told a different account: a source familiar with the matter said Gabbard had been forced out. The differing narratives emerged as the administration made personnel arrangements for the transition.
On his Truth Social account, Trump said Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas will serve as acting DNI. Trump praised Gabbard’s work, noting she had done “a great job,” and said she rightly wants to be with her husband as they fight his illness.
Relations between Gabbard and the president have shown strains previously; Trump had publicly suggested in March that she was “softer” than him on confronting Iran’s nuclear program. Gabbard’s departure ends her short but high-profile tenure overseeing the U.S. intelligence community.
