Another major resignation from the Trump administration. Tulsi Gabbard is leaving as head of the US Secret Service
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, who has appeared at times at odds with President Donald Trump over the Iran war, announced on Friday that she would resign for personal reasons, writes AFP.
“Unfortunately, I must resign, effective June 30, 2026,” Gabbard wrote in a letter addressed to President Trump and published on the social network X, explaining that she is making this decision due to the health of her husband, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
Gabbard says her husband “will face major challenges in the coming weeks and months.” “At this time, I must step down from public office to stand with him and fully support him in this fight,” she added.
According to Fox News, Gabbard informed President Trump of his decision during a meeting in the Oval Office on Friday.
Tulsi Gabbard (45), a former military officer, heads the United States' National Intelligence Directorate.
A controversial appointment
Tulsi Gabbard's appointment as director of the National Intelligence Service was contested by many Democrats, especially because of her positions close to those of the Kremlin.
In fact, his nomination to this strategic position – in which he advises the American president on national security issues – was one of the most controversial of those announced by Donald Trump after his victory in the presidential elections.
She was criticized in particular for allegedly supporting the Kremlin's arguments to justify the war in Ukraine, but also for the doubts she expressed regarding the conclusions of the American intelligence services according to which former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Russia, would have used chemical weapons against his people.
In 2017, while serving in the House of Representatives, she met with Bashar al-Assad in Syria, a visit highly criticized by both political camps at the time and afterward.
During her confirmation hearing before the Intelligence Committee, senators asked her about her support for whistleblower Edward Snowden, who was at the origin of revelations about US intelligence services. Moreover, senators expressed concern that her appointment could damage “trust” between the United States and its allies and limit the sharing of sensitive information.
