White House forced out Tulsi Gabbard despite claims to the contrary: report

Tulsi Gabbard didn't leave the Trump administration on her own terms — at least according to one well-placed source.

Despite an official story centered on her husband's cancer diagnosis, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Gabbard "had been forced out by the White House" — a stark contrast to the carefully crafted farewell playing out on social media Friday.

President Donald Trump announced her departure on Truth Social, saying Gabbard had "done an incredible job" and that her husband, Abraham, had "recently been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer." Trump added that she "rightfully wants to be with him, bringing him back to good health as they currently fight a tough battle together."

Gabbard's own resignation letter, dated May 22 and effective June 30, leaned heavily into that narrative. "I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming post," she wrote, signing off "with love and aloha."

The forced-out report comes after Trump said in March that Gabbard was "softer" than him on Iran's nuclear ambitions, a rare public signal of friction with one of his own Cabinet officials.

There was internal friction, too. A Raw Story investigation published Friday revealed that a task force Gabbard launched to "end weaponization" in the intelligence community had collapsed after spreading false claims — sourced from a Jan. 6 rioter — against a CIA employee and a former Capitol Police officer.

Trump named Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas — a 20-year CIA veteran and former clandestine operations officer — as acting DNI.

Gabbard advised Trump of her intention to step down during an Oval Office meeting on Friday, according to Fox News Digital. Her resignation is effective June 30.