Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as U.S. Director of National Intelligence, effective June 30, 2026, citing her husband's recent diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman and military veteran, made the announcement on X. She is the fourth Cabinet official to leave during President Donald Trump's second term.
Her departure follows earlier resignations or dismissals of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Gabbard's tenure was marked by tension over the U.S. strike on Iran in February. She repeatedly testified that intelligence showed no Iranian nuclear rebuild, contradicting Trump's claims of an imminent threat. She told lawmakers: "It is not the intelligence community's responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat."
A critic of foreign wars, Gabbard was a surprising pick for the intelligence role given her lack of experience. She previously ran for president in 2020, endorsed Joe Biden, later left the Democratic Party, and eventually backed Trump.
In office, she supported Trump's claims about the 2020 election and oversaw workforce reductions at the intelligence agencies. A whistleblower complaint accused her of withholding intelligence for political reasons.