by Kevin Killough
Tulsi Gabbard resigned Friday from her post as director of National Intelligence.
Gabbard notified President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office, explaining that she is leaving to support her husband, Abraham, who has “an extremely rare form of bone cancer,” Fox News reported.
“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 to support him through this battle,” Gabbard said in her resignation letter. She described him as “her rock through eleven years of marriage.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Gabbard had “done a great job,” and Aaron Lukas, principal deputy director of National Intelligence would serve as acting director after June 30, when Gabbard’s resignation becomes effective.
“Her wonderful husband, Abraham, has been recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, and she, rightfully, wants to be with him, bringing him back to good health as they currently fight a tough battle together. I have no doubt he will soon be better than ever,” Trump said.
Gabbard said she in her letter to Trump that is “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 noted her accomplishments in her position, saying she advanced “unprecedented transparency” and restored integrity in the intelligence community.
During her time as director, she initiated reforms, including reducing the size of the agency, dismantling DEI programs and saving taxpayers more than $700 million per year, according to Fox. This month, she declassified more than a million pages related to the Trump-Russia investigation and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. She also created a working group to probe efforts during the Biden administration to weaponize government.
“There is still work to be done,” Gabbard added in her letter.
Gabbard ended her letter by saying, “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.”
– – –
Kevin Killough is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
