Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) is publicly floating Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as a potential replacement for outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, adding a major new name to growing speculation surrounding the administration’s next intelligence chief.
Banks made the suggestion Thursday in a post on X shortly after news of Gabbard’s resignation continued to ripple through Washington.
“Stefanik would make a great replacement for Tulsi as DNI,” Banks wrote.
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The Indiana Republican also argued Stefanik would likely have little trouble securing confirmation in the Senate.
Banks pointed specifically to Stefanik’s experience serving on the House Intelligence Committee, where she has spent years dealing with national security and intelligence matters.
The comments immediately sparked speculation online and across political circles about whether Stefanik could emerge as a serious contender for the role.
Betting markets quickly reacted as well, with her odds reportedly surging on prediction sites including Kalshi following Banks’ endorsement.
So far, however, neither Stefanik nor the White House has publicly commented on the possibility.
President Donald Trump previously addressed Gabbard’s departure earlier this week, praising her tenure while announcing that Aaron Lukas would serve as acting director after she steps down June 30.
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“Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post announcing the transition.
Trump said Gabbard’s resignation was tied to her husband’s health battle after he was reportedly diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
In a resignation letter posted on X, Gabbard thanked Trump for the opportunity to serve and said she was stepping away to focus on her family during the difficult time.
The White House has not publicly discussed permanent replacements beyond naming Lukas as acting DNI.
Lukas, a longtime CIA officer and Gabbard’s principal deputy, previously served in intelligence roles during Trump’s first administration and is expected to temporarily oversee the office following Gabbard’s departure.
Stefanik’s name carries significant weight inside Trump-world.
The New York congresswoman has become one of Trump’s fiercest defenders in Congress and has steadily risen through Republican leadership ranks over the last several years.
She also has a close political relationship with Trump and was previously tapped for another major administration role.
In November 2024, Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
The nomination advanced quickly through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and appeared on track for confirmation.
But in March 2025, Trump withdrew the nomination before a final Senate vote.
At the time, Trump cited concerns about maintaining the Republican Party’s razor-thin House majority.
He argued Stefanik’s continued presence in Congress was too important to risk during a critical legislative period.
Stefanik publicly agreed with the decision and remained in the House.
Now, Banks’ suggestion has reignited questions about whether Trump could once again seek to move Stefanik into a top administration post.
Unlike the UN ambassador position, however, the DNI role places an official directly at the center of U.S. intelligence operations, national security briefings and classified global threat assessments.
The office oversees coordination between America’s intelligence agencies and serves as one of the president’s top national security advisers.
Stefanik’s supporters argue her committee experience and close relationship with Trump make her a natural fit.
Critics would likely question whether her highly political profile could complicate Senate confirmation or intelligence community relations.
For now, the speculation remains just that.
No formal nomination process has been announced, and the White House has stayed publicly silent regarding any permanent replacement discussions, The Washington Examiner reported.
Still, Banks’ comments ensured Stefanik’s name is now firmly part of the conversation.
And in Trump’s political orbit, that alone can quickly change the trajectory of Washington speculation.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
