New Delhi: Tulsi Gabbard resigned as the US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on Friday, saying she needed to step away from public service to care for her husband Abraham Williams, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Her departure takes effect 30 June.
The resignation ends a troubled tenure in which Gabbard—who headed 18 US intelligence agencies—was believed to have been progressively sidelined within President Donald Trump’s White House. She was excluded from deliberations around the military raid that toppled President Nicolás Maduro’s government in Venezuela earlier this year, and the subsequent war with Iran.
“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026. My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. He faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle,” Gabbard said in her resignation letter.
She added: “While we have made significant progress at the ODNI—advancing unprecedented transparency and restoring integrity to the intelligence community—I recognise there is still important work to be done. I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth and thorough transition over the coming weeks so that you and your team experience no disruption in leadership or momentum.”
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) was established in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks to improve coordination across the US intelligence apparatus.
Trump confirmed the resignation in a Truth Social post, announcing that Aaron Lukas, Gabbard’s principal deputy director of National Intelligence, would serve as acting DNI.
“Unfortunately, after having done a great job, Tulsi Gabbard will be leaving the Administration on June 30th. Her wonderful husband, Abraham, has been recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, and she, rightfully, wants to be with him,” Trump wrote.
He added: “Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her. Her highly respected Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Aaron Lukas, will serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence.”
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, sought her party’s presidential nomination in 2020 before breaking with the Democrats to back Trump in the 2024 election. She joined his second administration as a leading voice of its isolationist foreign policy wing—a counterweight to the hawks Trump had simultaneously drawn into his circle.
That balance has since shifted decisively. The hawkish faction has gained the upper hand in recent months, with CIA Director John Ratcliffe increasingly representing the intelligence community within the White House. Gabbard was rarely in the room when consequential decisions were made.
Her political career was built on fierce opposition to the US war in Iraq; she also drew controversy for past statements expressing support for former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
Gabbard is the fourth member of Trump’s team to resign this year. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer all left in the last few months.
Also Read: 3 cases, Trump’s lawyer & the settlement: What US dropping charges means for Adani | Cut The Clutter