US Intelligence Chief Resigns Amid Rumours of Clash with Trump Over Iran War
The US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has resigned from her position. Gabbard cited her husband’s health condition as the reason for her departure, noting that he is suffering from a very rare form of bone cancer.
Despite this explanation, rumours have circulated suggesting that Gabbard faced pressure from the White House to step down. Her resignation was announced on Friday (22/5/2026) local time. It is noted that she had previously been involved in disagreements with President Donald Trump regarding the conflict involving Israel and Iran.
Fox News reported that the former US Congresswoman, formerly of the Democratic Party, informed Trump of her decision during a meeting in the Oval Office. Gabbard has served as the Director of National Intelligence since 2025. Her resignation will take effect on 30 June.
In a letter to Trump posted on X, Gabbard stated she is stepping down to care for her husband, Abraham Williams. “He faces significant challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step back from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this struggle,” Gabbard wrote.
Gabbard is the fourth female official to leave the Trump administration in recent months. Trump previously dismissed US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in March and US Attorney General Pam Bondi in April, while US Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned in April amidst various scandals.
President Trump expressed appreciation for Gabbard’s performance during her tenure. “Tulsi has done an extraordinary job, and we will miss her,” Trump stated via Truth Social. As Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard was responsible for coordinating information across 18 US intelligence agencies, providing daily briefings to the President.
To fill the vacancy, Gabbard’s deputy, Aaron Lukas, will serve as Acting Director. While Reuters cited a source regarding rumours of political pressure, the White House has denied such claims. Gabbard’s chief of staff, Alexa Kenning, stated on X, “This is incorrect. Her husband… has been diagnosed with rare bone cancer.”
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle also asserted, “Any assumption that the White House forced her to resign due to her husband’s health is slander.”
Throughout her political career in Congress, Gabbard positioned herself as an anti-interventionist, opposing US military interventions abroad. This stance created tension after Trump decided to strike Iran in late February. Reports suggest Gabbard was absent when Trump consulted key advisers prior to the strikes on 28 February.
Following the outbreak of the US-Israel conflict with Iran, Gabbard avoided public support for Trump’s decision. During a Congressional hearing in March, she carefully avoided questions regarding whether the government was aware of the potential impacts of the war. Furthermore, she declined to support Trump’s claims that Iran posed a direct threat, which served as the justification for the attacks on Tehran.
Gabbard stated that US intelligence concluded Iran was not rebuilding the nuclear enrichment capacity destroyed by US-Israeli bombings last year. However, Trump had repeatedly claimed Iran’s nuclear capabilities justified the war. As reported by the BBC, Trump previously dismissed Gabbard’s testimony to Congress, stating, “I don’t care what she says. I think they are very close to having a weapon.”
Gabbard’s resignation follows the departure of her senior adviser, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent, who left the Trump administration two months ago due to disagreements over the Iran war.