GOP Senator Floats New Name to Replace Outgoing DNI Gabbard
A prominent Republican senator is urging President Donald Trump to consider one of his strongest congressional allies for a major national security post following the announced departure of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana publicly floated Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., as a possible replacement for Gabbard, who is stepping down from the role to care for her husband as he battles a rare form of bone cancer.
Banks made the recommendation Thursday on X shortly after reports confirmed Gabbard’s upcoming resignation.
“Stefanik would make a great replacement for Tulsi as DNI,” he wrote.
The Indiana conservative pointed to Stefanik’s background on national security matters, including her work on the House Intelligence Committee, as evidence that she could be a serious contender for the position. Banks also suggested that Stefanik would likely have a strong path through the Senate if President Trump chose to nominate her.
His comments quickly fueled fresh speculation across conservative circles and among Washington insiders over whether Stefanik could be next in line for one of the most sensitive and powerful positions in the Trump administration.
The suggestion also appeared to draw attention in prediction markets, where traders track potential Cabinet and senior administration appointments. After Banks publicly backed Stefanik, her odds reportedly increased on platforms such as Kalshi as observers reconsidered her chances of being selected for a major role in President Trump’s national security team.
President Trump addressed Gabbard’s planned exit earlier this week, commending her service while announcing that Deputy ODNI Aaron Lukas would serve as acting director after Gabbard leaves office on June 30.
“Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Stefanik would not be a surprising name inside Trump’s orbit.
The New York Republican has become one of the most forceful defenders of President Trump in Congress, while also building influence within House GOP leadership. Her loyalty to the America First agenda and her willingness to take on entrenched institutions have made her a well-known figure among conservatives.
She was also previously chosen by President Trump for a top diplomatic post.
In November 2024, Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Her nomination moved swiftly through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and appeared headed toward confirmation.
But in March 2025, President Trump pulled the nomination before a final Senate vote, citing the need to protect the GOP’s narrow House majority during a critical legislative stretch. Stefanik publicly supported the decision and remained in Congress.
Now, Banks’ endorsement has reopened the question of whether President Trump may again look to Stefanik for a senior administration role.
The DNI position, however, would place Stefanik in a far different arena than the U.N. ambassadorship. The director of national intelligence sits at the center of America’s intelligence apparatus, helping coordinate the work of federal intelligence agencies while delivering high-level national security assessments to the president.
Supporters would likely argue that Stefanik’s intelligence committee experience, political discipline, and strong relationship with President Trump make her a compelling choice for the office.
Opponents, however, would almost certainly attack her as too political for the intelligence community, a criticism conservatives may see as predictable from a Washington establishment that has often resisted Trump-aligned reformers.
For now, no official nomination has been made.
The White House has not publicly announced any permanent replacement for Gabbard beyond naming Lukas as acting DNI, according to The Washington Examiner.
Gabbard, in a resignation letter posted on X, thanked President Trump for the opportunity to serve and said she was stepping away to focus on her family during a difficult personal season.
Lukas, who has served as Gabbard’s principal deputy, is a longtime CIA officer with prior intelligence experience from President Trump’s first administration. He is expected to temporarily lead the office once Gabbard departs.
Still, Banks’ public call for Stefanik ensures that her name will remain part of the conversation as President Trump weighs who should guide America’s intelligence community at a moment when national sovereignty, border security, and global threats remain central concerns for the administration.