President Donald Trump thanked outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard during a White House Cabinet meeting for her service to the administration.
The departure of the intelligence chief marks a significant transition in the leadership of the U.S. intelligence community, particularly as the administration seeks to reshape trust within those agencies.
Trump called Gabbard a "terrific person actually" and said he wanted to express "tremendous gratitude" to the outgoing director [1]. During the meeting in the White House Cabinet Room, the president praised her efforts to reform the agencies she led [2].
"Tulsi has worked tirelessly to restore trust and focus in the intelligence … they all respected her," Trump said [1].
Gabbard is resigning from her post to provide care for her husband. In her resignation letter, she stated that her husband has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer [4].
According to reports, Gabbard will officially leave the administration on June 30 [5].
The president's public praise follows a period of reorganization within the intelligence community. Trump said that Gabbard's work was essential in restoring a specific focus to the agencies, suggesting a shift in how the intelligence community operates under his direction [1].
“"Tulsi has worked tirelessly to restore trust and focus in the intelligence … they all respected her."”
The resignation of the Director of National Intelligence is a high-level vacancy in a role that coordinates the entire U.S. intelligence community. Because Trump specifically cited the 'restoration of trust' as a key achievement of Gabbard's tenure, her successor will likely be expected to continue a policy of institutional skepticism and internal reform of the intelligence agencies.
