Tulsi Gabbard announced Friday that she will resign as Director of National Intelligence, citing her husband’s recent diagnosis with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. Her departure from President Donald Trump’s cabinet is scheduled for June 30.
In a resignation letter posted online by Trump, Gabbard said she needed to step away from public service to support her husband, Abraham Williams, a photographer from Hawaii. Trump praised Gabbard’s tenure on Truth Social, saying she “has done an incredible job” and would be missed. He said Aaron Lukas, her deputy, will serve as acting director.
Gabbard’s resignation comes during a sensitive period for the administration, as Trump continues to oversee a war with Iran. Her views had drawn attention after U.S. attacks on Iran in February, when her public comments on intelligence assessments did not fully align with Trump’s description of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Gabbard did not endorse the claim that Iran presented an imminent nuclear threat.
A former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, Gabbard served in the House from 2017 to 2021. She became known nationally for her criticism of U.S. military involvement overseas, including opposition to intervention in Syria. Her 2017 meeting with Syrian leader Bashar Assad drew criticism, as did some of her foreign policy statements, which opponents said resembled Russian narratives.
Gabbard sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, left the party in 2022, and later endorsed Trump in the 2024 election. Before joining the administration, she had been a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and had deployed to the Middle East and Africa.
Her nomination as intelligence director was criticized by some in the intelligence community, citing her limited intelligence experience and record of controversial foreign policy positions. She did not serve on the House Intelligence Committee during her time in Congress, reports said.