Tulsi Gabbard recently submitted her resignation.
Secret Pentagon Memos Reveal How Tulsi Gabbard Was ‘Set Up To Fail’ Before Joining Donald Trump Administration
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigned from her role in the Trump administration, citing personal reasons. Gabbard said her husband, Abraham Williams, has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
She shared her formal resignation letter on X to announce her departure to the public and wrote, “Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026. My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle.”
However, according to an analysis by RawStory, there is much more to her resignation. Sources have indicated that Tulsi was pushed out by the White House due to her deep policy disagreements with Donald Trump over military strikes in Iran.
Tulsi Gabbard's post on X.
'She Was Set Up to Fail and Never Had a Chance'
Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein wrote in his Substack post that internal Pentagon memos showed significant disagreements between Gabbard and administration officials. He wrote: "She oversaw her agency’s National Counterterrorism Center move into purely domestic matters (contrary to its original design). The real story is one of defeat. It’s the story of an intelligence chief discovering she ran nothing, and a national security system that strangles reform with such ease you almost have to respect it".
Klippenstein also reported that Gabbard was excluded from some major national security decisions. The journalist further claimed that she was "set up to fail and never had a chance" to succeed as the administration deeply mistrusted her.
Klippenstein also explained how her position works. In 2004, the Director of National Intelligence position was created by Congress to act as a single boss over all 18 U.S. spy agencies, including the CIA and FBI. It was built after 9/11 to make sure that agencies shared information and didn't keep any secrets.
Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld played a major role in shaping the position, according to Klippenstein’s analysis. Klippenstein reported that Rumsfeld opposed giving the office direct control over the Pentagon’s intelligence budget, limiting the position’s authority over military funding.
This allowed the Pentagon and the White House to exclude the intelligence director. When Gabbard opposed the administration's foreign policy, officials took advantage of this setup to exclude her and remove her, Klippenstein explained.
Gabbard is Fourth Female Cabinet Member to Leave During Trump's Second Term
Gabbard is now the fourth high-profile Cabinet member to leave the administration, as per Fortune.
An X user's post on Tulsi Gabbard.
The other departures include former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was fired by Trump due to her leadership. Former White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles exited her role earlier in the administration. Former UN Ambassador Elise Stefanik stepped down from her position, and Tulsi Gabbard, whose last day in office is June 30.