President Trump announces via Truth Social, “Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Aaron Lukas, will serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence” following the departure of DNI Tulsi Gabbard on June 30, 2026.
Aaron Lukas will do a solid job as ‘acting’ or as fully nominated and confirmed DNI.
There will likely be a great deal of rumor and speculation about a different permanent replacement. One name sure to surface within the discussion is Devin Nunes, but I strongly doubt the former Chairman of the HPSCI would desire or accept the position.
If, and that is a very big ‘if’, Devin Nunes was to accept the role, that would indicate a remarkable change in his opinion about the overall intelligence apparatus. Therefore, I doubt this is an option. Devin Nunes believes in the historic fidelity of the intelligence institutions. As a result, the DNI position has seemed smaller and less significant.
The only way Nunes would take the job is if two things changed. First, he now believed the construct of the United States intelligence apparatus is teetering on the edge of irreversible corruption (he did not previously hold this position); and second, if he sees that Tulsi has now proven the power of the DNI in the intelligence apparatus. As readers here will fully understand, until DNI Gabbard that power was never fully extended.
Former House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) member Elise Stefanik will likely be another name. She would have the full support of the Susie Wiles grouping. The same network who advocated for Mike Waltz to be National Security Advisor. However, Stefanik would greatly please Laura Loomer, Mark Levin and Ben Shapiro; while conversely providing fuel for Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly antagonisms.
Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn would likely be another name. This one strongly promoted by Q-adherents as evidence toward their Horoscope predictions and Q-anon ‘drops’ about Nunes stepping down from CEO of Truth Social as a 3-D chess maneuver, proactively planned to replace Gabbard [he did not].
Unfortunately, Flynn’s judgement is not stellar, and while he has been supportive of Mrs. Gabbard it’s not likely President Trump wants that kind of Flynn drama or the issues he brings with him for a nomination. That said, if the political calculation is to fuel the core base, Flynn might stand a chance at nomination. But don’t overthink it, Flynn would be of no value in the DNI position for anything of substance. Again, weak judgement (led to his former demise) and grifting tendencies.
Two other names of note: Scott Perry from Pennsylvania who was a target of the FBI/IC for his support of President Trump, and Rick Crawford the current Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a gang of eight member. The IC has nothing to fear from either of these names. They are essentially Mike Waltz clones, though to be fair I might be a little harsh on Perry.
Rick Crawford, as HPSCI Chairman, allowed Tulsi Gabbard to review the Atkinson transcript. Still, he didn’t act until Gabbard asked to see it and later pushed to declassify it. While he had the authority to handle it himself, like many congressional IC members in both the House and Senate, he seemed wary of challenging the very system they’re tasked with overseeing. [TIP: If whoever’s name it is currently falls under the IC oversight mechanism, they probably fear the “seven ways from Sunday” group, unlike Tulsi Gabbard. Accept this reality and adjust your perspective accordingly.]
GOPe types and “CONservative” influencers might also bring up Trey Gowdy or former HPSCI Chairman Mike Rogers. If either of these names show up, there’s a problem. And anyone advancing these names…. well, they’re the problem.
There’s no immediate need for any speculative guesswork. ADNI Aaron Lukas will do a solid job.
In the interim, we should expect DNI Gabbard to wrap up several aspects surrounding ongoing investigations and will likely make them all public prior to her departure, pose haste.
Pray for Tulsi Gabbard and Abraham Williams!


I will again suggest that Mr. Sundance should enter his name and credentials for the position!
Failing that….keep Aaron Lukas, if he will indeed do “a solid job.”
How about a pardon for Edward Snowden and give it a shot?? I know he’d never be confirmed, but it sure would be telling (and fun) to watch the meltdowns.
Yeah, that will for sure make the Russia collusion accusations go away!
Bootlicking again, huh?
Thank you Sundance!
Trey Gowdy?
God forbid.
That’d be McConnell’s pick
Thank you Sundance.
Prayers up from this day on for everything God wills for Tulsi Gabbard and her husband Abraham. Amen!
She has been a shining gift, and I can only pray that God will bless her and her husband and then make it possible to continue the fight she has been fighting. Through her, or through her temporary replacement. 🙏
Lukas being career CIA makes me very leery. I doubt that any replacement will equal Tulsi, but I am willing to give him a chance.
I don’t know anything about Aaron Lukas, but I trust Sundance’s opinion on him.
As to ALL of the other names mentioned-I don’t trust any of them. They are all compromised.
I suspect that Tulsi has communicated to President Trump names of people she trusts. I pray that Wiley Wiles does not get to pick the replacement.
I’d prefer anyone but the usual suspects. Preferably someone with an axe to grind that has the stones to stand and deliver for POTUS.
ADNI Aaron Lukas will do a solid job — unless Susie Wiles succeeds in pushing someone else for the position in response to pressure from GOPe senators to return to the pre-Trump status quo. Let’s hope that Lukas becomes DNI maintains the same philosophy and approach Tulsi Gabbard was using.
Well I for one am absolutely devastated, but I completely understand & support her decision. She was my last hope on turning the ship around. Ugh.
Payers up!
Oh & F cancer!
*Prayers up 🤦🏻♀️
Pray for Abraham and Tulsi.
Off topic but President Trump has canceled his plans and is headed back to DC. This was a sudden change.
Yes and my first thought was an attack on Iran.
Rubio is supposed to fly to India tomorrow. Something else to watch.
I have been thinking about this a bit, and Admiral Mike Rogers (non-politician!!!) would be on my short list.
If anyone showed courage and fidelity to the Constitution in the face of adversity, Adm Rogers showed and flew his colors.
Interesting
Sundance laid out how Rogers was not the hero we all believed in a detailed article.
I missed that one. Thank you!!! That’s what short lists are for! 🙂
Just read Sundance’s post on Rogers… my what a tangled web. It appears Adm Rogers did a service suggesting use of a different facility without exposing himself unduly. He did some good in the face of a lot of evil.
Who chose Aaron Lukas for the Deputy Director spot?
My concern would be if he had been placed there to keep an eye on Gabbard the same way Pence was installed to be a safety switch during Trumps first tour.
Rick Crawford was my Rep when I lived in AR. He never once responded to any of my written questions with anything other than a prewritten form letter. He’s in a solid red state in a solid red district and could upset the apple cart & not have to worry about getting reelected. That’s not his style, he’s a go along guy. Blah.
Losing Tulsi is a bitch. Maybe Clay Higgins, that man is a solid.
Sundance as DNI. Please call President Trump.
Harriet Hagemann?
Rick Grenell?
You mean the Harriet Hagemann who was praising Chip Soy and pushing him for TX AG?
https://x.com/GrageDustin/status/2057824817324151080/video/1
I would give Admiral (Retired) Michael Rodgers strong consideration
But now we have butt hurt Thune to get the nominee voted on.
The turds in the punchbowl have grown from Lisa, Susan, and Thomas adding dipstick from LA and soon to be Cornyn (fingers crossed).
7 months of hurt feelings and retribution.
It wasn’t’ lost on “some “ of us that Tulsi personally thanked you for that beautiful prayer on X. “Some” of us just might be jealous😎
Reports say Tulsi was forced out by the White House. I don’t doubt it. Sadly President Trump gets his ears filled with crap from people within and outside his administration. Sadly the high ground is being taken back.
Gobbledygook
Only by Reuters and it was immediately refuted by DNI COS.
I doubt that. The Left has been predicting she would be fired for months. They’re just using this opportunity to try to prove they had some inside knowledge.
Perhaps Ed. Martin?
Sundance for DNI!!!
Also a vote for Sundance. Or someone from private sector.
Zero confidence in anyone else currently in politics.
Actually, I would choose Rubio.
It would be his most important job yet.
Anyone have any ideas why President Trump cancelled plans to attend Don Jr’s wedding to remain in DC this weekend? Interesting.
These are very big shoes to fill. Director Gabbard served in Iraq and personally experienced the downstream impacts of deception, flawed analysis, and corrupt national policy. She built her political career the traditional way through hard work in the Hawaii state assembly (did not rely upon a famous family dynasty name, payoffs, or fake ballot stuffing). She ran for president and took on the wrath of both Google (was deplatformed) and HRC. If you listen to her interviews, you will learn that as a member of congress, she asked the correct questions regarding involvement in Syria and other places. This earned her additional retribution. Her fearlessness to continue pushing and fighting for us is a blessing. All of these experiences influenced and focused her resolve as Director. In hindsight, it seems natural that she would join President Trump’s team. Though I will admit, I did not have that on my bingo card in 2015. God bless Tulsi and Abraham.
I read this twice, did a few research queries on some of the names mention, and find myself in 100% agreement with our host.
The liberal clowns at Mediaite are reporting that she was forced out by the White House. These people have are truly sick and can’t be helped.
Still in disbelief. So sad to see that Tulsi will be going, she was doing a great job. All her time in office, she proven to be so effective.
I don’t know whoever replaces her if he/she will be tough like her and take a stance against those evil people, or whether he/she will be subdued by the same system. Remains to see.
Anyhow, i wish Tulsi well, she is a vey courageous woman, and prayers up to her husband.