Tulsi Gabbard Resigns as US Director of National Intelligence
Quick Look
- Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as US Director of National Intelligence, citing her husband's diagnosis of a rare bone cancer.
- She will leave her post on June 30.
- President Trump praised her work, naming Aaron Lukas as acting director.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tulsi Gabbard, formerly a Democratic presidential candidate and member, resigned from the Democratic Party in 2022 and endorsed Donald Trump. She is now the fourth cabinet departure of Trump's second term.
US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation on Friday, citing her husband's ill health in a post on social media site X.
Gabbard said in a letter to US President Donald Trump posted on X that she was resigning in order to look after her husband following his diagnosis of "an extremely rare form of bone cancer", and would leave the administration on 30 June.
In a social media post of his own, Trump said Gabbard had done "an incredible job", adding that her principal deputy Aaron Lukas would serve as acting director of national intelligence.
Formerly a member of the Democratic Party, Gabbard ran as a presidential candidate in the party's primaries in 2020 on an anti-interventionist platform. She later dropped out before endorsing eventual winner Joe Biden.
Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022, and endorsed Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential election before joining the Republican Party later that year.
Tulsi Gabbard is the fourth cabinet departure of Trump's second term as president.
This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Aaron Lukas will serve as acting Director of National Intelligence.
Very likely · Short term
President Trump will nominate a permanent replacement for Director of National Intelligence.
Very likely · Medium term
Open Questions
- What is the specific rare form of bone cancer?
- How long will Aaron Lukas serve as acting director?
- Who will be Trump's permanent nominee for Director of National Intelligence?
- What is the impact of this resignation on ongoing intelligence operations?
