Tulsi Gabbard’s once-trusted confidante has exited the White House amid growing speculation about Donald Trump’s contentious relations with his intelligence chiefs over Iran. The departure of Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, a former CIA officer who married into the illustrious Kennedy family, is reportedly linked to her opposition to Trump’s decision to launch military strikes on Iran, as reported by the Washington Post.
Kennedy’s resignation marks the second high-profile exit among Gabbard’s inner circle, following in the footsteps of Joe Kent. Kent, who previously led the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned back in March, alleging that Israeli officials misled Trump regarding the imminent threat posed by Iran to the United States.
Despite her influential backing from her father-in-law, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kennedy’s aspirations to become the CIA’s deputy director post-Trump’s 2024 election were thwarted. Republican senators expressed concerns that her leadership might bring disruptive changes to the agency, ultimately blocking her appointment.
Within the administration, those who worked closely with Kennedy noted her focus on human espionage, cutting-edge intelligence-gathering technologies, and East Asian affairs. Her expertise in these areas was seen as pivotal during her tenure.
“We are grateful to Amaryllis Fox Kennedy for her leadership and exceptional service,” Gabbard expressed to the Daily Mail. “Under her guidance, we successfully aligned the Intelligence Community agencies with the Administration’s and ODNI’s goals, ensuring a unified approach to our mission.”
‘We are grateful to Amaryllis Fox Kennedy for her leadership and exceptional service,’ Gabbard told the Daily Mail. ‘Under her leadership, we successfully aligned the Intelligence Community agencies with the Administration’s and ODNI’s goals, driving a unified approach to our mission.’
Kennedy sent an email to colleagues earlier this month informing them she was leaving to return to the private sector. She made no mention of the war and praised Trump in the message.
Since the war began, Gabbard has faced persistent calls to resign over her opposition to US military action in Iran.
Another of Tulsi Gabbard’s top deputies has quit over the Iran conflict
Since the war began, Gabbard has faced persistent calls to resign over her opposition to US military action in Iran
Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, a former CIA officer who married into the Kennedy clan, apparently quit over her disagreement with Donald Trump’s decision to launch strikes on Iran, sources say
The Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment.
Kennedy served simultaneously as a deputy to Gabbard at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, an associate director at the Office of Management and Budget, and a member of Trump’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
Her roles managing intelligence and oversight raised concerns among some current and former US officials, according to the Washington Post.
Like Kennedy, Kent was one of Gabbard’s most trusted lieutenants before walking out.
His resignation letter torched Israel and its ‘powerful American lobby’ for dragging the US into the war.
Trump dismissed him as ‘very weak on security,’ but the back-to-back exits leave Gabbard’s inner circle visibly fraying.
The former spy married into the Kennedy clan in 2018, walking down the aisle with RFK’s eldest son, Bobby Kennedy III, at a beachside ceremony at the family’s Cape Cod compound.
The couple, who first met at Burning Man, have two children.
She married the eldest son of RFK Jr, Bobby Kennedy III, on a beach in Massachusetts in 2018
Backed by her father-in-law, RFK Jr, Kennedy tried but failed to become the deputy director of the CIA
Kennedy worked closely with Gabbard to craft a national intelligence strategy laying out the operational objectives for the entire US intelligence community.
She also helped push for the declassification of historical documents tied to the assassinations of President John F Kennedy, Senator Robert F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
