Tulsi Gabbard has resigned from her role as the top intelligence official in President Donald Trump’s administration, ending a controversial and closely watched period in Washington politics.
Gabbard announced that she would leave her position as Director of National Intelligence at the end of June 2026. In her resignation message, she said her decision was mainly driven by family reasons after her husband, Abraham Williams, was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
Her resignation comes after months of reports about growing tensions inside the White House. Several US media outlets claimed that Trump and some senior officials had become unhappy with Gabbard’s handling of intelligence matters and her public comments on foreign policy issues, especially Iran.
Tulsi Gabbard was once a Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and also served in the Iraq War. After leaving the Democratic Party, she moved closer to Donald Trump and later became one of the most surprising choices in his cabinet when she was appointed Director of National Intelligence in early 2025. Many Democrats and Republicans questioned the decision because of her past views on Russia, Syria, and other national security issues.
While leading the intelligence office, Gabbard regularly spoke out against what she called “politicized intelligence.” She also supported releasing secret government documents and changing the focus of US intelligence agencies. Her supporters said she was trying to reform the system and bring more transparency, while critics believed she was making intelligence work too political.
Reports also suggested that Gabbard had been excluded from some major national security discussions in recent months. Differences reportedly became more serious after disputes over intelligence assessments related to Iran and other global conflicts.
Trump publicly thanked Gabbard for her service and announced that her deputy, Aaron Lukas, would temporarily lead the intelligence office until a replacement is chosen.
Her departure adds to a growing list of changes inside Trump’s cabinet during his second term. Political analysts believe the resignation could lead to another major shift in how the White House handles intelligence and national security policy in the coming months.
Even though Gabbard’s time in office was filled with controversy, her resignation marks the end of one of the most unusual political journeys in recent American politics — from Democratic presidential candidate to one of Trump’s closest national security officials.
