Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is stepping down from her post in the Trump administration to care for her husband after he was diagnosed with what she described as “an extremely rare form of bone cancer,” according to a resignation letter.
Gabbard informed President Donald Trump of her decision during a Friday meeting in the Oval Office. Her resignation will officially take effect on June 30.
In her formal letter to the president, Gabbard expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence over the past year and a half before explaining the deeply personal reason behind her departure.
“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026,” Gabbard wrote according to Fox News. “My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer.”
She said her husband now faces “major challenges in the coming weeks and months,” prompting her decision to leave public office.
“At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle,” Gabbard continued. “I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth and thorough transition over the coming weeks so that you and your team experience no disruption in leadership or momentum.”
Tulsi Gabbard speaks during CPAC Conference at Gaylord National Resort Convention Center in Washington DC on February 22, 2024
The resignation marks a major shakeup within the Trump administration’s intelligence leadership, as Gabbard had become one of the most high-profile figures overseeing the Intelligence Community after being tapped by Trump for the role.
“Abraham has been my rock throughout our eleven years of marriage — standing steadfast through my deployment to East Africa on a Joint Special Operations mission, multiple political campaigns and now my service in this role,” she wrote.
“His strength and love have sustained me through every challenge,” she added. “I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position.”
In her resignation letter, Gabbard pointed to those efforts as some of the accomplishments she was most proud of during her time in office.
“I have made significant progress at the ODNI — advancing unprecedented transparency and restoring integrity to the intelligence community,” she wrote, while acknowledging “there is still important work to be done.”
The White House has not yet announced a replacement for Gabbard, though officials say discussions about succession planning are already underway ahead of her departure at the end of next month.
President Trump has not publicly commented on the resignation as of Friday afternoon. Gabbard closed her letter with a message of appreciation to both the president and the American people.
“Thank you for your understanding during this deeply personal and difficult time for our family,” she wrote. “I will remain forever grateful to you and to the American people for the profound honor of serving our nation as DNI.”
