Breaking
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard looks on during a House Select Intelligence Committee hearing on March 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Heather Diehl / Getty Images)
By Randy DeSoto May 22, 2026 at 10:47am
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is leaving the Trump administration to be with her husband who has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
Fox News reported “Gabbard notified President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office Friday. Her last day at ODNI is expected to be June 30.”
She wrote in her resignation letter that she is “deeply grateful for the trust you placed in me and for the opportunity to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for the last year and a half.”
“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026,” she wrote. “My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer.”
She said her husband “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,” the ODNI director explained.
“I will remain forever grateful to you and to the American people for the profound honor of serving our nation as DNI.”
🚨 BREAKING: TULSI GABBARD RESIGNS AS DNI — Fox
Gabbard is resigning as President Trump’s Director of National Intelligence to support her husband “through his battle with ‘an extremely rare form of bone cancer,’” Fox reported
Her last day is JUNE 30, and Trump has been… pic.twitter.com/ORWOc03iMs
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 22, 2026
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate, left her party in 2022 and endorsed Trump during his 2024 run.
Trump posted on Truth Social his response to the news.
“Unfortunately, after having done a great job, Tulsi Gabbard will be leaving the Administration on June 30th,” Trump wrote, adding, “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.”
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Randy DeSoto has written more than 4,000 articles for The Western Journal since he began with the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book “We Hold These Truths” and screenwriter of the political documentary “I Want Your Money.”
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean’s list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith
