Gabbard Forced Out as Trump Intelligence Director After Policy
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, resigned from her position effective June 30, citing her husband Abraham Williams' recent diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer. In her resignation letter, Gabbard stated she could not "in good conscience" ask her husband to face the illness alone while remaining in the demanding role. Trump publicly accepted the resignation on Truth Social, saying Gabbard had done "a great job" and that her decision to prioritize her husband's health was appropriate.
Multiple sources told Reuters that Gabbard was forced out by the White House rather than departing voluntarily. A source familiar with the matter stated "She was pushed out by the White House" and that "The White House has been unhappy with her for quite some time." Trump had previously expressed displeasure with Gabbard in recent months, and in April, he reportedly asked allies for names of potential replacements for his intelligence chief.
Friction between Gabbard and Trump's team stemmed from her leadership of the Director's Initiatives Group, which worked to declassify documents related to President John F. Kennedy's death, investigate election machine security, and probe COVID-19 origins. In August, Gabbard revoked security clearances for 37 current and former U.S. officials, an action that exposed the name of an undercover intelligence officer serving overseas. Trump had also hinted at policy disagreements, saying in March that Gabbard was "softer" than him on curtailing Iran's nuclear program.
Gabbard's absence from key national security deliberations signaled deepening White House displeasure. She was excluded from discussions between Trump and his top national security advisers regarding the U.S. military operation that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Iran strategy, and Cuba policy. Aaron Lukas, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, will serve as acting director.
Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that the position had become "too politicized" under Gabbard's tenure. Warner said the next intelligence leader should be "an independent, experienced intelligence professional" focused on foreign intelligence, not domestic election matters, directly addressing Gabbard's involvement in the Georgia election hub investigation and her management of classified intelligence reports.