Former CIA officer Aaron Lukas will serve as acting director of national intelligence following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard.
“[Gabbard’s] highly respected Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Aaron Lukas, will serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence,” President Donald Trump announced in a Friday post on Truth Social.
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Lukas has served in the intelligence community for more than two decades, including as a former CIA chief of station. He also previously served as chief of staff to the director of national intelligence before later becoming the second-highest-ranking official in the intelligence community as principal deputy DNI.
In March 2025, Trump announced plans to nominate Lukas as Gabbard’s deputy. The Senate confirmed him in a 51-46 vote in July 2025, and he was sworn in by Gabbard two days later on July 24, 2025.
During his confirmation hearing, Lukas faced questions from lawmakers regarding his participation in the Signal group chat that allegedly discussed war plans and became public following reporting by journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in the Atlantic.
“You participated in a group chat that was the subject of the Atlantic article published by Jeffrey Goldberg on March 24, 2025, correct?” Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) asked during the hearing.
“I was, senator,” Lukas replied.
Warner then asked whether Lukas had used a personal or government phone during the chat. Lukas declined to elaborate, citing “ongoing litigation.”
“There is currently ongoing litigation, senator, so I really can’t give any more details,” he said.
Lukas also defended his approach to leading the Office of the Director of National Intelligence during the hearing.
“My aim is to make ODNI better, not to undermine it,” Lukas said. “What I bring to this role is the perspective of an intelligence officer who has worked both on the front lines overseas and as a consumer of intelligence at the National Security Council.”
“For every program, every position, every taxpayer dollar that is spent, I will ask: How does this advance the IC’s core mission?” he added. “How does it serve policymakers, and if it doesn’t, why are we doing it? I believe asking these questions is how we make the IC stronger and better able to do our duty to protect the American people.”
TULSI GABBARD ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION AFTER HUSBAND’S BONE CANCER DIAGNOSIS
Lukas is expected to assume the role on June 30, Gabbard’s final day in the Trump administration. Trump announced on Friday that Gabbard would step down following her husband’s diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer.
An Arkansas native, Lukas graduated from Texas A&M University and George Washington University.
