Tulsi Gabbard is stepping down from her role as director of national intelligence from Donald Trump’s cabinet. In a letter to the President that she posted on X, the 45-year-old Army National Guard veteran said her last day will be June 30, 2026.
Tulsi Gabbard advised Donald Trump of her decision to leave the position during a meeting on May 22
Gabbard announced on May 22 that she’s resigning, citing her husband’s diagnosis with bone cancer. She wrote, “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.”
Trump appreciated Gabbard and announced that Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas would serve as acting director of national intelligence on Truth Social. He wrote, “Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her.”
In April 2026, the 79-year-old urged Gabbard to resign before the midterm elections later this year, as per The Mirror US.
Following the resignation, Senator Eric Schmitt, in a post on X, said Gabbard “worked to set a tone of accountability across the federal government, and I’m sorry to hear she’ll be leaving the Administration”. Matt Duss, the executive vice president at the Center for International Policy, told Al Jazeera, “Tulsi Gabbard ran for president, campaigning against regime change wars, and ended up serving in an administration that launched the stupidest one yet against Iran,” and added, “I hope that once she leaves Trump’s service, she’ll speak out about how the US was misled into yet another unnecessary conflict.”
Gabbard, a supporter of Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign, is the fourth woman to leave Trump’s administration, following Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
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