Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is stepping down from the Trump administration at the end of June, with President Donald Trump announcing Friday that her replacement will be named shortly afterward.
Trump said Gabbard is leaving to focus on her family after her husband was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
“Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
The president announced that Aaron Lukas, the principal deputy director of national intelligence, will serve as acting director once Gabbard officially departs.
Gabbard confirmed her resignation in a letter posted to X, saying her final day will be June 30.
In the letter, she thanked Trump for the opportunity to serve in his administration and said her decision was driven by her husband’s medical battle.
“Dear Mr. President, I am 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,” she said in her post.
“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026. My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. He 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,” Gabbard said.
After speaking glowingly about her husband, she signed off with thanks to President Trump.
“Thank you for your understanding during this deeply personal and difficult time for our family. I will remain forever grateful to you and to the American people for the profound honor of serving our nation as DNI,” she said.
The departure marks a major change inside the administration’s intelligence leadership.
According to Fox News Digital, Gabbard informed Trump of her decision during a Friday Oval Office meeting.
However, the circumstances surrounding her exit appear to be more complicated.
A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Gabbard was forced out by the White House, though Trump’s public comments framed the departure as entirely family-related.
Trump publicly praised Gabbard again Friday while emphasizing the seriousness of her husband’s condition.
The president’s announcement comes after occasional signs of tension between the two over foreign policy.
Earlier this year, Trump publicly suggested Gabbard was less aggressive than he was when it came to confronting Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
In March, Trump said Gabbard was “softer” than him on stopping Tehran’s nuclear program.
Despite those differences, Trump’s public messaging Friday was warm and supportive.
Aaron Lukas now steps into one of the most sensitive national security roles in Washington, at least on an interim basis.
As principal deputy director, Lukas has already been working inside the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, making him a natural temporary successor while the administration determines its long-term plans.
Gabbard’s exit removes one of the administration’s most high-profile and unconventional national security figures.
A former Democratic congresswoman turned Trump administration intelligence chief, Gabbard’s appointment drew intense scrutiny from critics but strong support from many Trump allies.
Her tenure included oversight of intelligence coordination during a period of escalating international tensions involving Iran, China, Russia, and the Middle East, The New York Times reported.
Now, her focus shifts entirely to family.
No additional details about her husband’s diagnosis or treatment were immediately released.
The White House has not indicated whether Trump intends to nominate a permanent replacement quickly or allow Lukas to serve in the acting role for an extended period.
For now, the administration is presenting the move as a deeply personal decision driven by a family medical emergency, even as outside reporting raises questions about whether internal dynamics also played a role.