By Bonface Mulyungi

Tulsi Gabbard has said she is resigning from her position as the US director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, citing her husband’s recent bone cancer diagnosis.

“His strength and love have sustained me through every challenge,” she wrote in her resignation letter obtained by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. “I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position.”

President Donald Trump said in a social media post that Gabbard “has done an incredible job, and we will miss her”.

Her resignation is effective 30 June. Aaron Lukas, the principal deputy director, will step in as acting director, Trump said.

Gabbard, a loyal supporter of Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign, was confirmed as one of the most powerful figures in US intelligence-gathering weeks after he returned to the White House in 2025. As head of the intelligence community, Gabbard coordinates among multiple intelligence agencies and advises the president.

But this year she has largely been out of public view as the US has taken military action against Iran, put pressure on Cuba, and notably removed Venezuela’s president.

In her letter Gabbard said her husband, Abraham, “faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months.”

Trump posted on social media that Gabbard “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.”