Tulsi Gabbard Resigns as Trump’s Intelligence Chief Amid Husband’s Cancer Battle

Tulsi Gabbard has resigned from her position as Director of National Intelligence under President Donald Trump, citing her husband’s diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer.

According to Reuters, Gabbard informed Trump of her decision during an Oval Office meeting on Friday. Her resignation will take effect on June 30.

In a resignation letter posted on X, Gabbard thanked Trump for the opportunity to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence over the past year and a half.

“I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming post,” she wrote, referring to her husband, Abraham Williams.

Trump praised Gabbard’s service on his Truth Social platform, saying she had done “a great job.” He also announced that Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas would serve as acting director. Lukas previously worked as a CIA officer and National Security Council analyst during Trump’s first term.

While the official explanation focused on her husband’s illness, Reuters reported that a source familiar with the matter claimed Gabbard had been forced out by the White House. The administration has not officially commented on that allegation.

Tensions between Trump and Gabbard had reportedly emerged in recent months, particularly over Iran policy. In March, Trump publicly suggested that Gabbard was “softer” than him on preventing Tehran from advancing its nuclear ambitions.