WASHINGTON — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard submitted her resignation Friday, citing her husband’s recent cancer diagnosis.
Gabbard, a longtime skeptic of US intervention overseas, did not mention the ongoing Iran war in the letter announcing her departure.
“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026,” the 45-year-old wrote. “My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer.”
The former Hawaii Democratic congresswoman thanked Trump for “the trust you placed in me.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard submitted her resignation from the post on Friday. Getty Images
The president, who recently fired three female cabinet secretaries — Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer — in under a month, praised the departing Gabbard in a statement.
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“Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her,” he wrote.
“Her wonderful husband, Abraham, has been recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, and she, rightfully, wants to be with him, bringing him back to good health as they currently fight a tough battle together.”
Gabbard’s deputy, Aaron Lukas, will serve as acting director following her departure.
The news broke within minutes of the president saying he plans to remain at the White House this weekend rather than at his New Jersey golf course, fueling speculation he’s poised to resume attacks on the Islamic Republic.
Gabbard publicly remained loyal to Trump during Operation Epic Fury, testifying to the Senate in March that “the intelligence community assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild and to continue to grow their nuclear enrichment capability.”
Gabbard cited her husband Abraham’s recent cancer diagnosis for the decision to step down. AFP via Getty Images
But she has rarely been at the forefront of the administration — with Trump often singling out and praising CIA Director John Ratcliffe for his contributions to the war effort.
Gabbard aligned with Trump on other priorities, such as punishing alleged “deep state” leakers and investigating alleged fraud in the 2020 election.
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She slashed her office’s workforce by 40% and worked on major declassification efforts, including the release of long-withheld records on the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
Her departure follows the fiery resignation in March of her former subordinate Joe Kent, the onetime head of the National Counterterrorism Center, who claimed Israel had duped Trump into attacking Iran.
Gabbard gave no hint of repeating Kent’s manner of departure and spent most of her letter focused on her husband.
“Abraham has been my rock throughout our eleven years of marriage — standing steadfast through my deployment to East Africa on a Joint Special Operations mission, multiple political campaigns, and now my service in this role,” she wrote.
“His strength and love have sustained me through every challenge. I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position.”
