Trump Cabinet Shake-Up: Tulsi Gabbard Resigns as Director of National Intelligence After Husband's Extremely Rare Bone Cancer Diagnosis
Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as Director of National Intelligence.
May 22 2026, Published 1:33 p.m. ET
Tulsi Gabbard has announced her resignation from her role as the Director of National Intelligence, RadarOnline.com can report.
The move marks the latest member of President Trump's cabinet to step away during his already tumultuous second term.
Tulsi Gabbard is Stepping Away to Care for Her Husband
Gabbard told President Trump she was resigning on May 22.
Gabbard, 45, notified Trump of her decision during a meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, May 22. However, she insisted her resignation was not connected to the war in Iran, but rather something much more personal and brutal.
"Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026," she wrote in a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital. "My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer."
Gabbard said her husband "faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months," and she is stepping away "to be by his side and fully support him through this battle."
She thanked the president for his understanding during this "difficult time," adding that she is "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."
Trump Praises Tulsi Gabbard
President Trump said Gabbard has done an 'incredible job.'
Shortly after accepting her resignation letter, Trump gave his thanks on his Truth Social platform, while naming her Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Aaron Lukas, as Acting Director.
"Unfortunately, after having done a great job, Tulsi Gabbard will be leaving the Administration on June 30th," the president shared. "Her wonderful husband, Abraham, has been recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, and she, rightfully, wants to be with him, bringing him back to good health as they currently fight a tough battle together. I have no doubt he will soon be better than ever.
"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. President DONALD J. TRUMP"
Tulsi Gabbard's Controversial Appointment
Gabbard is the latest member of Trump's cabinet to leave.
Still, Gabbard's tenure has been marred with controversy. Last September, she sparked fresh tension with CIA chief John Ratcliffe after disclosing the name of an undercover CIA officer on a list of people she stripped of security clearances.
According to insiders, Gabbard had been under pressure to regain the president's confidence after falling out of favor with him for posting a video and delivering testimony about Iran's nuclear capabilities.
However, when Gabbard announced the security clearance removals, she said some of the 37 current and former officials were engaged in "politicization or weaponization of intelligence" and that she was acting on the president's orders, proving tensions between herself and Trump had subsided.
Trump would later go on to praise Gabbard, saying: "You found some interesting things, Tulsi. She's becoming a bigger and bigger star every day."
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Tulsi Gabbard's Global Impact
Gabbard has faced global scrutiny for some of her positions.
Even her road to the office was fraught with bumps. Like several other Trump cabinet picks, Gabbard's nomination was met with uproar due to her checkered past, including once being on a government watchlist and her infamous 2017 secret meeting with Bashar Assad, then-president of Syria.
Critics further questioned whether Gabbard could be trusted in a top government position, citing her past sympathetic comments towards Russia.
The former Hawaii representative has branded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "corrupt" and claimed U.S. assistance for Ukraine jeopardized global security.
After Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Gabbard took to then-Twitter and wrote: "This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia's legitimate security concerns."
