President Donald Trump on Thursday nominated former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Jay Clayton to be the next Director of National Intelligence, replacing outgoing intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard. 
Clayton currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, having previously led the SEC from May 2017 through December 2020 during Trump&#8217;s first term.
“I am pleased to announce the Nomination of very Highly Respected Jay Clayton, former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the former Head of Sullivan &amp; Cromwell, one of the most prominent and successful Law Firms anywhere in the World, and the current United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be the next Director of National Intelligence and, importantly, to serve in my Cabinet,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 
“Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay. I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible,” he added. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
While Clayton is best known for his work in financial regulation, he currently oversees one of the nation&#8217;s most prominent federal prosecutors&#8217; offices. During his tenure as U.S. attorney, the Southern District of New York has continued pursuing high-profile cases, including the prosecution of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Trump&#8217;s nomination comes after Gabbard announced last month that she would step down from her post to support her husband as he undergoes treatment for a rare form of bone cancer. Gabbard is scheduled to leave office at the end of June.
The selection also follows controversy surrounding Trump’s decision to name Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting director. 
Democrats and some Republicans questioned whether Pulte possessed sufficient national security experience to lead the intel community, while House Democrats cited his appointment as a reason to oppose extending Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. 
“Bill Pulte has no relevant national security experience. Consequently, his appointment is in defiance of the law that requires the Director of National Intelligence to have ‘extensive’ national security experience,” House Democrat leaders said. “The apparent motivation for his elevation is the demonstrated willingness of Bill Pulte to search government databases for alleged dirt on President Trump’s chosen political enemies.”
Clayton must now be confirmed by the Senate before he can assume the role permanently.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt,  Tulsi Gabbard, United States Director of National Intelligence.

Trump Makes New Pick To Replace Tulsi Gabbard

Bill Pulte

Director of National Intelligence

Donald Trump

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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday shared a major health update on her husband’s aggressive cancer battle. 
The top Trump cabinet official revealed her husband, Abraham, was diagnosed with a “very rare” form of cancer called sacral chordoma. The slow-growing bone cancer typically starts in the bones of the spine or skull, according to the Mayo Clinic.  The disease can grow anywhere along the spine and mostly affects adults ages 40 to 60, with surgery as “the main treatment.” 
On Thursday, Gabbard took to X to provide an encouraging update on Abraham’s course of treatment.
“The surgery to remove bone and surrounding tissue lasted almost seven hours and was successful,” Gabbard said. “He had a rough night and is in a lot of pain, but is finally home resting.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My husband Abraham was diagnosed with a very rare sacral chordoma. The surgery to remove bone and surrounding tissue lasted almost seven hours and was successful. He had a rough night and is in a lot of pain but is finally home resting. Now recovery begins. We’re so grateful…
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) <a href="https://x.com/TulsiGabbard/status/2062535301289914674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
“Now recovery begins. We’re so grateful for the outpouring of prayers and kind messages from all of you. Our hearts are full,” she added. 
Gabbard previously shared a heartfelt message on social media as the couple headed to the hospital for surgery. 
“We are humbled and so grateful to be surrounded by aloha during this really tough time,” she said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
We are getting ready to head to the hospital for my husband’s surgery and just wanted to say thank you so much to all of who have shared messages, prayers and well wishes for Abraham. We are humbled and so grateful to be surrounded by aloha during this really tough time. 🙏🏽 <a href="https://t.co/EpDcRqv8FV">pic.twitter.com/EpDcRqv8FV</a>
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) <a href="https://x.com/TulsiGabbard/status/2061788108727705658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
In May, Gabbard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tulsi-gabbard-resigns-from-trump-admin?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Reacts+To+Tulsi+Gabbard%E2%80%99s+Surprise+Resignation">announced she was stepping down</a> to support her husband through a battle with “an extremely rare form of bone cancer.”
“My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer,” she wrote. “He faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle.” 
<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116619437706453945">On Truth Social,</a> President Trump praised Gabbard for doing “an incredible job.”
Vice President Vance called her a “patriot” and a “great asset” to the White House.
“I’m sorry to see her go, but certainly understand that family comes first. She and her husband Abraham, will be in my prayers as they face this next challenge together, and she has my gratitude for being a great addition to the administration and a loyal confidante,” he said. “Godspeed Tulsi!”
In 2024, Gabbard, a former Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman, made waves when she crossed over to support President Trump’s re-election campaign. Her last day is expected to be June 30.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-taps-familiar-name-to-replace-tulsi-gabbard?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Taps+Familiar+Name+To+Replace+Tulsi+Gabbard">The White House on Tuesday</a> tapped Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William J. “Bill” Pulte to fill the role.

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Tulsi Gabbard Shares Major Update On Husband’s Condition

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News

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is appointing Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William J. &#8220;Bill&#8221; Pulte to serve as acting Director of National Intelligence after Tulsi Gabbard&#8217;s resignation last month.
Pulte, a staunch Trump ally with a reputation for aggressive institutional cleanups, will pull double duty, maintaining his current role leading the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
&#8220;William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116680659724813616">said</a>, praising Pulte for a &#8220;substantial increase&#8221; in housing market health over the last 12 months.
  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; border: 0; height: auto;" title="DW Player" src="https://public.dailywire.com/preroll-player/embed.html?playback-id=003LuSww202r6TjErbOEa9JtcWGMlxYwVG&amp;ad-tag-url=https%3A%2F%2Fpubads.g.doubleclick.net%2Fgampad%2Fads%3Fiu%3D%2F61914415%2Fdw.video.article%26description_url%3Ddailywire.com%26url%3D%26tfcd%3D0%26npa%3D0%26sz%3D640x480%26min_ad_duration%3D5000%26max_ad_duration%3D60000%26gdfp_req%3D1%26unviewed_position_start%3D1%26vpos%3Dpreroll%26output%3Dvast%26plcmt%3D1%26env%3Dvp%26vpa%3Dclick%26vpmute%3D0%26impl%3Ds%26correlator%3D%5Bcachebuster%5D" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Pulte replaces Gabbard, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-tulsi-gabbard-plans-to-reveal-before-leaving-office?utm_source=chatgpt.com">announced her resignation</a> on May 22 to support her husband through a battle with a rare form of bone cancer. Gabbard will officially step down at the end of June.
Gabbard’s 16-month tenure as America’s top spy chief has been highly consequential. Dubbed &#8220;ODNI 2.0,&#8221; her restructuring slashed the agency by 40%, saving taxpayers $700 million annually, while declassifying over 500,000 pages of withheld records  — including files exposing how the Obama administration weaponized intelligence during the &#8220;Russia Hoax.&#8221;
Before she departs on June 30, Gabbard plans to drop weekly, high-profile investigative findings on Havana Syndrome, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the weaponization of the federal government.
Pulte is no stranger to taking on Washington&#8217;s most entrenched political actors. Since being sworn into the FHFA in March 2025, Pulte has used his platform to root out alleged financial misconduct, zeroing in on key Democrats who previously targeted President Trump.
Among his biggest scalps is New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a civil fraud case against Trump. After an FHFA referral by Pulte, James was indicted on federal bank and mortgage fraud charges in Virginia. Pulte applied the same tactic to Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), a lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment trial, referring Schiff to the Department of Justice for alleged mortgage fraud.
The grandson of legendary homebuilder William J. Pulte — who built PulteGroup into a Fortune 500 titan — the younger Pulte forged his own multi-million-dollar path in private equity.
Pulte is widely recognized for his unique philanthropic efforts. In 2013, he launched the widely-praised Blight Authority, a non-profit that successfully cleared urban decay and demolished abandoned properties to restore neighborhood safety in Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan. He later achieved massive fame on social media as a pioneer of &#8220;Twitter Philanthropy,&#8221; directly handing out hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money to everyday Americans for medical bills, food, and emergencies.

Fair Isaac Shares Slump As Pulte Moves To Cut Credit Score Costs

Trump Taps Familiar Name To Replace Tulsi Gabbard

A Gold Star wife&#8217;s simple Memorial Day request sparked an outpouring of support from Americans, including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tulsi-gabbard-resigns-from-trump-admin">outgoing</a> Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. 
It all started on Sunday, when Sharrell Anne Shaw posted a message on X, asking whether anyone visiting Arlington National Cemetery could stop by her late husband&#8217;s grave and share a photo. 
“This is probably a long shot, but if anybody happens to be in DC this weekend and plans on visiting Arlington, I would love to see a fresh photo of my husband’s grave in Section 60,” she wrote. 
Shaw identified her husband as Staff Sgt. Alan W. Shaw of B Co 1/12 Cav, 1st Cavalry Division, who was killed in Iraq in 2007.
The responses started flooding in, with many people promising to visit the grave or honor Shaw&#8217;s sacrifice on Memorial Day. 
Several, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, shared photos of themselves visiting the grave at Arlington National Cemetery.
“It was an honor to visit your husband’s grave today on your behalf, and to pay my respects,&#8221; Gabbard wrote. &#8220;Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to the loved ones they left behind.  Thank you for your service and sacrifice.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It was an honor to visit your husband’s grave today on your behalf, and to pay my respects. It was wonderful to see the beautiful flowers representing many others who did the same. Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to the loved ones… <a href="https://t.co/GWx11xlecF">pic.twitter.com/GWx11xlecF</a>
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) <a href="https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/2058975663160226185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Shaw responded by thanking Gabbard for honoring her husband.
“Seeing you standing there at his grave honestly brought me to tears,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;Thank you for honoring Alan, for saying his name, and for reminding me that there are still people in this country who have not forgotten the cost of freedom.”
On Monday, Shaw reflected on the viral response to the outpouring of support from everyone who honored her request.
“Last night, I made a simple request on X,” she posted. “I asked if anybody visiting Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day would stop by Alan’s grave and leave a photo for our family. What happened next honestly caught me off guard.”
“By this afternoon, dozens of Americans from all walks of life had made the walk to Section 60 to visit SSG Alan W. Shaw. Veterans. Families,” she said. “Complete strangers. People who had never met Alan, but chose to honor him anyway&#8230; For one day on social media, people put aside the constant noise and negativity and came together for something bigger than themselves. My notifications filled with photos, kind messages, prayers, and stories from people honoring not just Alan, but so many of our fallen heroes. I don’t think people fully understand what moments like this mean to Gold Star families.&#8221;
Staff Sgt. Shaw was killed in action in Iraq on February 9, 2007. 
In a separate Memorial Day post, Sharrell Shaw reflected on the holiday&#8217;s meaning for Gold Star families.
“Memorial Day will always mean more to our family than cookouts or a long weekend,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;It’s the sound of boots on concrete. The weight of a folded flag in shaking hands. Three children growing up with memories instead of a father.”
She added, “But over the years, I’ve also realized something else. The men we honor today did not give everything so America would sit in mourning forever. They believed in life. In freedom. In family. In backyard barbecues, ballgames, loud laughter, and the simple privilege of being home.”
“So yes, remember them. Speak their names. Teach your children who they were. Fly the flag. Visit the cemetery. And then live.”

Arlington National Cemetary

Tulsi Gabbard Visits Fallen Soldier’s Grave After Gold Star Wife’s Viral Request

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WASHINGTON— Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard plans to release findings from a number of high-profile investigations before she departs her role as President Donald Trump&#8217;s spy chief, The Daily Wire has learned.
Gabbard announced Friday that she will resign, sharing that her husband is battling “an extremely rare form of bone cancer&#8221; and that she must &#8220;step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle.” She will remain in her position until June 30, an intelligence official confirmed to The Daily Wire.
Before departing, Gabbard intends to release findings tied to investigations into Havana Syndrome, formally known as Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs), the COVID-19 pandemic, the weaponization of the federal government, the 2020 presidential election, and more, according to the official. These findings will likely be released in weekly installments over the next month.
Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas will serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence following her departure, President Donald Trump announced on Friday.
“Unfortunately, after having done a great job, Tulsi Gabbard will be leaving the Administration on June 30th,&#8221; he shared. &#8220;Her wonderful husband, Abraham, has been recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, and she, rightfully, wants to be with him, bringing him back to good health as they currently fight a tough battle together.&#8221;
&#8220;I have no doubt he will soon be better than ever,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her.&#8221;
Gabbard served 15 months in her role as Director of National Intelligence, working to transform the intelligence community and restore public trust through reforms, many declassifications, aggressive transparency, revoking <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tulsi-yanks-security-clearances-of-37-intel-officials-over-russiagate-abused-the-public-trust">security clearances of intel officials</a> who &#8220;abused public trust,&#8221; ditching DEI programs, and targeting foreign terrorist organizations.
A second intelligence official told The Daily Wire that Gabbard oversaw the declassification of more than 500,000 pages of previously withheld government records as of May 2026. Her &#8220;ODNI 2.0&#8221; restructuring initiative also reduced agency bloat by more than 40%, saving taxpayers an estimated $700 million per year.
Her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-tulsi-gabbard-rfk-assassination-files">declassifications included</a> records tied to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr., along with files related to Amelia Earhart&#8217;s disappearance and Biden administration documents outlining the federal government&#8217;s &#8220;Strategic Implementation Plan for Countering Domestic Terrorism.&#8221;
She has also aggressively worked to highlight the truths behind the &#8220;Russia Hoax&#8221; and how President Barack Obama&#8217;s administration weaponized intelligence to undermine Trump&#8217;s 2016 election victory.
Earlier this year, Gabbard&#8217;s office announced that she had completed the largest intelligence community-wide &#8220;technology and cybersecurity modernization and investment effort&#8221; in American history.
“Over the past year, we have taken meaningful steps to begin fulfilling that responsibility through the largest IC-wide technology investment and modernization effort in history,&#8221; Gabbard said at the time. &#8220;President Trump&#8217;s Intelligence Community is moving faster and more decisively on cybersecurity modernization and investments in IT than ever before, delivering stronger defenses, greater efficiency, and real cost savings for the American people.&#8221;
The Trump administration could face an uphill battle to get another Director of National Intelligence confirmed, given that the current bickering between the president and Senate Republicans has been escalated by Trump&#8217;s endorsements against Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
In the interim, Gabbard says she is focused on ensuring a smooth transition at ODNI.
“I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth and thorough transition over the coming weeks so that you and your team experience no disruption in leadership or momentum,” she wrote in her letter to Trump.
&#8220;It has been a profound honor to serve the American people as DNI.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NHypOY5gxGM?si=HJqNTAq-g5tXc2Jx" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Gabbard Drops Mention Of Iran Uranium Enrichment In Testimony

Here’s What Tulsi Gabbard Plans To Reveal Before Leaving Office

2020 Election

COVID

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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is resigning, The Daily Wire confirmed Friday.  
In her letter of resignation, obtained by The Daily Wire, Gabbard said she is stepping down to support her husband through a battle with &#8220;an extremely rare form of bone cancer.&#8221;
&#8220;My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;He faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle.&#8221; 
The spy chief said that under the Trump administration, the ODNI advanced “unprecedented transparency” and restored “integrity to the intelligence community.”
&#8220;I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth and thorough transition over the coming weeks so that you and your team experience no disruption in leadership or momentum,&#8221; she wrote.
<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116619437706453945">On Truth Social,</a> President Trump reacted to the news and praised Gabbard for doing &#8220;an incredible job.&#8221;
&#8220;Unfortunately, after having done a great job, Tulsi Gabbard will be leaving the Administration on June 30th. Her wonderful husband, Abraham, has been recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, and she, 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. Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her. Her highly respected Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Aaron Lukas, will serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence.&#8221;
Vice President Vance called Tulsi a &#8220;patriot&#8221; and a &#8220;great asset&#8221; to the White House.
&#8220;I&#8217;m sorry to see her go, but certainly understand that family comes first. She and her husband Abraham will be in my prayers as they face this next challenge together, and she has my gratitude for being a great addition to the administration and a loyal confidante,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Godspeed Tulsi!&#8221;
In 2024, Gabbard made waves when she flipped parties to support President Donald Trump&#8217;s re-election campaign. 
Her last day is expected to be June 30.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard

Trump Reacts To Tulsi Gabbard’s Surprise Resignation

Since Tulsi Gabbard&#8217;s arrival on the political scene in Washington, D.C., she has proven to be a force against the unrestricted power of the deep state. Her appointment as Director of National Intelligence was a statement by President Trump about his commitment and trust in her to bring transformative change to the office. Gabbard&#8217;s role became one focused on accountability, declassification, and efficiency — cutting a bloated staff, riling the intelligence agencies who balked at her reforms, and serving as a loyal advocate for the president&#8217;s agenda.
Today, she met with President Trump to inform him of her decision to resign. The reason in this case is deeply personal and presents a tragic challenge: her husband, Abraham, has been diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. His treatment will force her family to embark on another mission, a fight that requires her full attention.
Read Tulsi Gabbard&#8217;s letter to the president below:
&nbsp;
Tulsi Gabbard
Director of National Intelligence
[May 22, 2026]
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President,
I am deeply grateful for the trust you placed in me and for the opportunity to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for the last year and a half.
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. He faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle.
Abraham has been my rock throughout our eleven years of marriage — standing steadfast through my deployment to East Africa on a Joint Special Operations mission, multiple political campaigns, and now my service in this role. His strength and love have sustained me through every challenge. I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position.
While we have made significant progress at the ODNI — advancing unprecedented transparency and restoring integrity to the intelligence community — I recognize there is still important work to be done. I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth and thorough transition over the coming weeks so that you and your team experience no disruption in leadership or momentum.
Thank you for your understanding during this deeply personal and difficult time for our family. I will remain forever grateful to you and to the American people for the profound honor of serving our nation as DNI.
With love and aloha,
Tulsi Gabbard
Director of National Intelligence
&#8212;

Gov. Ron DeSantis Visits “Hannity”

Read Tulsi Gabbard’s Heartfelt Letter On Why She Chose To Resign

DW Opinion

I do not personally know Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, so I cannot speak to his character or private motives. But as someone who has publicly claimed friendship with Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard, I find it hard to see how detonating an <a href="https://x.com/C__Herridge/status/2034050521359634577?s=20">atomic bomb</a> on the eve of her testimony before Congress served anyone other than himself.
I sat next to Kent during Gabbard’s confirmation hearing before Congress last year as she showed the United States, our allies, and our adversaries exactly why she was capable of leading the greatest intelligence operation in the world. She handled herself with dignity and with the kind of steady resolve shown by someone who deeply desired to serve her country.
Kent, seated just behind her, wore a Hawaiian lei in a visible show of support for her leadership, her loyalty, and her judgment. That’s why his choice to resign publicly, and to communicate his dissent the way he did, raises an obvious question: where was that support for his friend when it mattered most?
Director Gabbard, for her part, got it exactly right. She has consistently pushed for exhausting diplomacy, but she also made clear that <a href="https://x.com/DNIGabbard/status/2033989780116033948?s=20">the president</a> is the one who decides what qualifies as a viable threat. That is how this works. A political appointee provides an assessment; the commander in chief makes the call. The Trump administration made its call based on the threat Iran posed to Americans and to our way of life.
And that is part of what makes Washington so maddening. This city is full of people who talk endlessly about loyalty, friendship, and principle, then abandon all three the moment public positioning becomes more useful. D.C. has earned its reputation as a town crowded with failed theater kids who routinely avoid demonstrating integrity or loyalty.
Again, I won’t pretend to know Mr. Kent’s intentions in releasing his letter, but his assessment contradicts both his own past <a href="https://x.com/joekent16jan19/status/1214960125200330752?s=20">statements</a> and the views of experts who have spent their lives studying the Middle East. People are free to change their minds, but that usually comes through deeper learning and self-correction. This does not seem to be that. I was not in the room for the threat discussions he now struggles to identify, though he seems to have no trouble tweeting about them, but I have studied Iran closely. And while I do not speak Farsi, I am confident “death to America” is not a warm salutation.
Isolationists fail to grasp a basic reality: this is not utopia. Our enemies, animated by a deep-seated hatred for everything America stands for, cannot be escorted hand-in-hand to peace and partnership. Meeting a threat on their doorstep is not a distraction from protecting the homeland — it is how you keep that threat from reaching ours.
The idea of shuttering our borders completely, allowing no one in or out, is both absurd and self-defeating. The world does not work that way. Plus, I would still like to plan my dream vacation to the South of France, for one thing, and for another, America would not have the power it now has to defend itself if it embraced that kind of isolation.
We are now 18 days into a military operation targeting a threat that has been at our doorstep for far too long. All Americans should support our warfighters and those standing with us against a regime that has terrorized the United States, our allies, our values, and its own people. We also have a duty to ask what our tax dollars are funding and why; questioning is good, because you learn things when you do.
Mr. Kent has every right, as a private citizen and taxpayer, to question and disagree with a military action. But the purpose of questioning is to educate, not to diminish American agency. The reflexive habit of crediting Israel, a nation the size of New Jersey, for every major policy decision made by the president of the United States undermines America’s military strength, economic power, and the very intelligence capabilities Mr. Kent supported. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the best: it had to be done.
To be clear, Iran’s leadership is the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism, a regime directly responsible for the loss of thousands of American lives. A regime that regularly murders its own people en masse and shuts down the internet for its 90 million citizens, cutting them off from telling the rest of the world the truth. A regime that bombs its own neighbors in the Middle East, just because it can. This is the same regime that sent representatives to the illegal, non-democratic swearing-in ceremony of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. A regime that aligns closely with China and Russia in order to enforce authoritarian rule throughout the world and displace American influence. Failing to recognize the imminent threat Iran poses to Americans is either a severe misunderstanding of the danger or an intentional deflection.
Joe Kent’s public <a href="https://x.com/joekent16jan19/status/2033897242986209689?s=20">resignation letter</a> places him on a growing list of people whose judgment I have found deeply disappointing. Why? It is disappointing for several reasons. It is disappointing because Kent once spoke <a href="https://x.com/mtracey/status/2033955443010080897?s=20">clearly</a> about the <a href="https://x.com/joekent16jan19/status/1840425323743395853?s=20">threat Iran</a> poses to the <a href="https://x.com/joekent16jan19/status/1838963575320412395?s=20">United States</a>, only to now cloud that reality. It is disappointing because, until yesterday, he occupied a high-consequence role charged with protecting the homeland from major threats, which makes his sudden uncertainty confusing. And it is disappointing because, at this moment, during an ongoing conflict, his public dissent undermines America’s national security posture and, in turn, the safety of the warfighters carrying out the mission.
* * *
Taylor Hathorn is a foreign policy and national security analyst specializing in U.S. defense strategy, Iran and China policy, cybersecurity, and geopolitical risk. She serves as a National Security Fellow with the Independent Women’s Center for American Safety and Security and an Iran Policy Fellow with The Hamilton Society/Public Interest Fellowship. As a Gold Star sister, she is committed to policies supporting veterans and military families and frequently speaks on national security issues affecting service members and their families. She has appeared on NEWSMAX and PBS, and her writing can be found in The Hill, RealClearDefense, RealClearWorld, Townhall, and Evie Magazine. Follow her on X @taylorhathorn.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

House Homeland Security Committee Hearing On Worldwide Threats

Joe Kent Built His Reputation On Iran Warnings — What Changed?

Iran

Joe Kent

Middle East

National Security

Opinion

Washington D.C.

Joe Kent has resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. He should never have had the job to begin with. 
Kent <a href="https://x.com/joekent16jan19/status/2033897242986209689/photo/1">explained</a> in his resignation letter that he believes Iran posed “no imminent threat to our nation” and that Israel with the help of Israel’s powerful “lobby” is behind the United States “starting” the war. 
These galling, fact-defying claims reveal Kent’s belief in a crank evil conspiracy about Israel and the “Israel lobby,” i.e., the Jews, controlling American foreign policy. It is exceptionally concerning that it was his job to protect the American people from terrorism and he discounts the role Iran plays in threatening the American people as the leading sponsor of terrorism globally. The regime funds, equips, and trains Islamist proxies throughout the Middle East to harass global shipping and attack Americans and our allies. Iran is directly responsible for the maiming and killing of hundreds of Americans since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Kent’s resignation could have simply stated he does not personally support the war and that his conscience prevents him from continued public service. Instead, he used the position from which he resigned to provide him credibility in an effort to undermine Trump, public support for the war, and the success of the war effort. 
There are two critical points to understand in all of this.
One, the political ecosystem that Kent decided to align with, and which supported his rise to influence within the MAGA coalition over the last several years, includes Nick Fuentes and his followers, the so-called Groypers. Nick Fuentes told Tucker Carlson <a href="https://x.com/moymiz/status/2033974462635512061?s=46&amp;t=lyk8m90xboRd4ImqIJ-GGA">a few months ago</a> on his podcast that he spoke with Joe Kent and supported him and his failed congressional campaign. Fuentes also said that Kent’s campaign manager bought a table at Fuentes’ event and introduced Fuentes to Kent. According to National Review reporter Audrey Fahlberg, Joe Kent’s former campaign manager acknowledged sending texts referring to Jews as “f*c*ing ki*es” and writing “heil f*cking Kent” and “allah f*cking akbar.” Kent also <a href="https://x.com/RichWWilliams/status/2033986403982581852?s=20">publicly aligned</a> with Fuentes when he launched his unsuccessful campaign. All of this is public information and did not prevent him from attaining a senior job in the administration. 
How many more people are serving in the Trump administration share these views or are sympathetic to them? Since Hamas carried out the worst attack on the Jews since the Holocaust on October 7, 2023, the United States has experienced a spike in open antisemitism and expressions of sympathy towards Islamist terrorists. College campuses have been awash with organized protesters chanting “from the river to the sea” and other genocidal slogans against the Jewish people. Since the initiation of Operation Epic Fury, there have been four terrorist attacks here at home: a <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/suspect-in-texas-bar-shooting-wore-property-of-allah-clothing-and-iranian-flag-emblem-according-to-ap-source">shooting </a>at a bar in Austin, an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/15/new-york-mamdani-teen-suspects">attempted bombing </a>in New York City, an <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/14/us/michigan-synagogue-attack-hnk">attack </a>on the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan, and a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/15/us/mohamed-bailor-jalloh-old-dominion">shooting </a>at Old Dominion University in Virginia. 
This is a time to clearly and decisively marginalize those who traffic in antisemitic views, not elevate them and place them in positions of authority. 
Two, Dana Loesch said it well when she noted that those circling the wagons for Kent’s stand against Operation Epic Fury are not only undermining President Trump now, they are “power-jockeying for 2028.” They insist that Trump betrayed them in taking joint action with Israel in Operation Midnight Hammer to degrade Iran’s nuclear program, and again now in Operation Epic Fury to dismantle the Iranian regime’s ability to threaten the United States and its allies. They ignore the long pattern of Trump’s support for Israel as a valued and highly capable ally, which was a hallmark of his first term. And, they ignore Trump’s support for a world-class military — he recently said he supports a $1.5 trillion defense budget, which would commit the United States to 5% of GDP on defense spending, matching his demands for the rest of NATO — designed not to retreat and pull up the proverbial drawbridge, but to project power across the globe to defend its declared vital interests in the Middle East, Europe, and Indo-Pacific. 
Additionally, they discounted Trump’s willingness in his first term to use military force to destroy the ISIS caliphate and other Iranian leaders and proxies sprawled across the Middle East. They also ignore Trump’s decades-long view that the Islamic Republic could not have a viable nuclear weapon, and that military action was a plausible and legitimate course of action if Iran refused to willingly dismantle its illicit program. Trump did not betray them. They simply could not manipulate Trump into becoming what they are.
Tucker Carlson is already planning to host Joe Kent on his podcast today (Wednesday). We should expect them to try to galvanize more opposition to President Trump’s efforts in Iran. They may be mad about not having power and influence on policy now, but we should expect this pernicious effort to continue into election season where they hope to have better luck.
* * *
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute and the director of its Keystone Defense Initiative. She specializes in US national defense policy with a focus on strategic deterrence.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-POLITICS-SECURITY-NOEM

Joe Kent Never Should Have Had This Job

Radical Islamic Terror

Tucker Carlson

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard laid out her defense for President Donald Trump and his decision to take action, alongside Israel, against the Iranian regime.
Gabbard argued that it was her job to ensure that the president had the best and most accurate information possible, but it was Trump&#8217;s responsibility alone to determine what does and does not constitute an &#8220;imminent threat&#8221; against the United States.
&#8220;Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country,&#8221; Gabbard posted on Tuesday.
&#8220;The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion.&#8221;
Gabbard&#8217;s statement comes just hours after Joe Kent announced his resignation as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, claiming that there was no &#8220;imminent threat&#8221; to the United States and that Trump had been pushed by Israel into waging war against the Iranian regime.
Kent, according to an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/joe-kent-wasnt-involved-in-iran-war-planning-intel-official-says">intelligence official</a> who spoke with The Daily Wire&#8217;s Mary Margaret Olohan, had been excluded from planning and briefings regarding the war with Iran. That same official refuted earlier reporting stating that Gabbard had been advised to fire Kent, but had failed to do so.
&#8220;Intelligence official tells @realDailyWire that it’s true that Joe Kent wasn’t part of the planning of the Iran war or briefings on the war,” Olohan <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2033953793629401411" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. “It is not true that DNI’s Tulsi Gabbard was asked by the White House to fire Kent, source says— if she had been asked to do so, she would have fired him.”

Karoline Leavitt Holds Daily White House Press Briefing

Tulsi Gabbard Sides With Trump On Iran, Underscores Commander-In-Chief Role

Tulsi Gabbard Defends Trump's Decision To Take Action In Iran

Media

Politics

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump specifically instructed Tulsi Gabbard to be present during the execution of a search warrant at an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, a letter obtained by The Daily Wire shows.
The Director of National Intelligence explained why she was present during the January 28 raid in a Monday evening letter to Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Rep. James Himes (D-CT). Warner is the vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, while Himes is the ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
&#8220;For a brief period of time, I accompanied FBI Deputy Director Bailey and Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Ellis in observing FBI personnel executing that search warrant,&#8221; Gabbard explains.
&#8220;My presence,&#8221; she wrote, &#8220;was requested by the President and executed under my broad statutory authority to coordinate, integrate, and analyze intelligence related to election security, including counterintelligence (CI), foreign and other malign influence and cybersecurity.&#8221;
Gabbard notes that the FBI&#8217;s Intelligence and Counterintelligence divisions are among the 18 elements she oversees, and that 12 of the FBI&#8217;s field offices across the United States have senior FBI officials who are also her domestic DNI representatives.
&#8220;I have visited several of my Domestic DNI-Reps at FBI Field Offices across the country,&#8221; Gabbard said. &#8220;While visiting the FBI Field Office in Atlanta, I thanked the FBI agents for their professionalism and great work, and facilitated a brief phone call for the President to thank the agents personally for their work. He did not ask any questions, nor did he or I issue any directives.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1037653" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-why-tulsi-gabbard-was-at-the-fulton-county-search/georgia-election-officials-continue-ballot-counting-4" rel="attachment wp-att-1037653"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1037653" class="wp-image-1037653 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1229493388-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1229493388-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1229493388-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1229493388-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1229493388.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Security envelopes for absentee ballots sit in stacked boxes as Fulton County workers continue to count absentee ballots at State Farm Arena on November 6, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)</div>
She adds: &#8220;ODNI&#8217;s Office of General Counsel has found my actions to be consistent and well within my statutory authorities as the Director of National Intelligence.&#8221;
Gabbard responded to several questions posed by Democratic lawmakers. She first addresses ballot integrity, saying: &#8220;Election security is a national security issue,&#8221; and arguing that &#8220;interference in U.S. elections is a threat to our republic and a national security threat.&#8221;
&#8220;The President and his Administration are committed to safeguarding the integrity of U.S. elections to ensure that neither foreign nor domestic powers undermine the American people&#8217;s right to determine who our elected leaders are,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;Towards that effort, the President tasked ODNI with taking all appropriate actions under my statutory authorities towards ensuring the integrity of our elections and specifically directed my observance of the execution of the Fulton County search warrant.&#8221;
ODNI has been reviewing intelligence on election integrity ever since she took office, Gabbard said. National Counterintelligence and Security Center&#8217;s (NCSC) personnel traveled with her to Fulton County, though they were not present during the warrant&#8217;s execution.
Her letter stresses that she has &#8220;broad authority&#8221; to &#8220;coordinate, integrate, and analyze intelligence&#8221; related to election security.
&#8220;To preserve the integrity of our elections, we must understand whether there has been foreign or other malign interference in our elections, and whether vulnerabilities exist in our election infrastructure that could be exploited in future elections,&#8221; she wrote.
&#8220;To enable this, it is critical that the Intelligence Community (IC) work with interagency partners like the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and other IC elements to ensure coordination of efforts and intelligence sharing and integration.&#8221;
Gabbard stresses that both information and intelligence reporting indicate that the United States&#8217; electronic voting systems have &#8220;long been vulnerable to exploitation that could result in enabling determined actors to manipulate&#8221; election results.
&#8220;ODNI and the IC continue to collect and assess all available intelligence concerning this threat to ensure the security and integrity of our elections,&#8221; she writes. &#8220;Searching through intelligence holdings and conducting assessments with analytic rigor and excellence is an arduous and often time-consuming process. However, that process ensures that the IC&#8217;s finished intelligence products are objective, independent of political considerations, and based on all available sources.&#8221;
Gabbard promises to share her intelligence assessments with Congress once they are complete.
But, she adds, the president is not required to obtain approval from the congressional intelligence committees before he initiates a &#8220;significant intelligence activity.&#8221;
&#8220;Moreover, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued the search warrant on The Office of the Clerk of The Court of Fulton County under seal,&#8221; Gabbard said. &#8220;As such, I have not seen the warrant or the evidence of probable cause that the DOJ submitted to Court for approval. Therefore, the ODNI had no ability, authority or responsibility to inform the Committees about the search warrant ahead of its execution.&#8221;

Intel Budget FY2026

Here’s Why Tulsi Gabbard Was At The Fulton County Search

Election Fraud

fulton county

Georgia

A watchdog group is urging Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to restrict classified access for the so-called “Seditious Six” Democrats while they are under federal investigation.
The Center to Advance Security in America sent a letter to Gabbard’s office on Tuesday warning that the continued access of two Democratic senators and four Democratic congressmen to sensitive U.S. documents risks national security. The lawmakers in question teamed up in a controversial video posted online in November, in part claiming that the Trump administration is “pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.”
“Given that these members are now all under federal investigation, their access to classified information should be suspended for the duration of the investigation. We are requesting this restriction to mitigate the risk of unauthorized disclosure or misuse of classified material during the investigation,” CASA Director James Fitzpatrick told Gabbard in the <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/984984087/CASA-Gabbard-Letter">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire.
The Democrats in question are Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, along with Reps. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Jason Crow of Colorado, and Chrissy Houlahan and Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania.
The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the “Seditious Six” over their November video. War Secretary Pete Hegseth coined the nickname for the lawmakers, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-fbi-launch-investigation-into-seditious-six-democrats-interviews-set-to-begin">saying</a> the video “undermines trust, creates hesitation in the chain of command, and erodes cohesion.”
The lawmakers said the investigation is an example of the administration “using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass Members of Congress.”
The letter notes that each lawmaker likely handles sensitive U.S. national security information through their committee assignments.
“The members of Congress who appeared in the November 2025 viral video insinuating that military orders from the Trump administration are illegal and not to be followed were purposefully attempting to sow confusion and undermine good order and discipline in our armed forces,” Fitzpatrick told The Daily Wire in a statement. “Given the ongoing federal investigation concerning all six subjects, we believe it is appropriate to restrict their access to classified information for the duration of the investigation.”

Mark Kelly

Watchdog Group Warns ‘Seditious Six’ Democrats Pose National Security Risk With Classified Access

Watchdog Group Says ‘Seditious Six’ Dems’ Access To Classified Info Puts US At Risk

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