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Democrats and media pundits face criticism for their "inappropriate" response to Tulsi Gabbard's resignation as Director of National Intelligence following her husband's cancer diagnosis.
Speaking on "Fox & Friends Weekend," Tony Kinnett, national correspondent for The Daily Signal, called out the immediate political pivot.
"The social media ecosystem, a lot of the analysis and punditry sphere, is all about getting out and saying the spiciest thing as soon as the news breaks," Kinnett said, arguing the attacks show "how disgusting a lot of these individuals' characters are revealed to be."
Gabbard's final day as Director of National Intelligence is expected to be June 30. Fox News Digital obtained her formal resignation letter, in which she stated she is "deeply grateful" for the opportunity but noted that her husband, Abraham, "has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer."
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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appeared during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats on March 19, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
But some members of the media and Democratic Party criticized Gabbard following her decision to leave her post.
Guests on CNN took aim at Gabbard's tenure, with former Deputy DNI Beth Sanner offering condolences before jabbing that her DNI title stood for "Do Not Invite."
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Democratic lawmakers offered similar sentiments. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., took to social media to say that the resignation was her only positive contribution to the role.
"While the circumstances around her departure are deserving of our sympathy, let's be clear: Tulsi Gabbard’s only positive contribution to our nation's national security is her resignation," Schiff wrote on X.
But Kinnett argued that the quick jump to politics on a deeply personal issue reflects what he described as a troubling shift in political commentary.
"The most principled thing you can do as a wife is to leave something behind, as a spouse in general is to leave your career behind," Kinnett said.
He added that the negative reaction reflected what he called a "lack of character" from critics.
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Gabbard assumed office in February 2025 and is a U.S. Army Reserve officer and combat veteran. She previously served in Congress for multiple terms as a Democrat before leaving the party to become an independent and later joining the Republican Party.
Tulsi Gabbard and her husband, Abraham Williams, embraced before Gabbard was sworn in as director of national intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
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In her resignation letter, Gabbard noted that her husband has been her "rock" throughout their 11 years of marriage and during difficult deployments overseas. She wrote that she "cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position."
Trump responded to the resignation on Truth Social, writing that she "rightfully" wants to support her husband during a tough battle.
"I have no doubt he will soon be better than ever. Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her," he wrote.
Madison is a writer for Fox News Digital on the Flash team.
