Outgoing intelligence director's husband undergoes surgery for rare spinal tumor

The outgoing Director of National Intelligence posted on X Thursday that her husband had been diagnosed with a sacral chordoma and had completed nearly seven hours of surgery to remove bone and surrounding tissue. The post stated the procedure was successful. It added that he experienced a difficult night, remains in considerable pain, and is now resting at home as recovery begins.

Background on resignation The director had previously announced her intention to resign to support her husband through treatment for an extremely rare form of bone cancer. The resignation is scheduled to take effect June 30. She wrote that her husband faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months and that she could not ask him to manage the illness alone while she remained in a demanding public role.

Medical details A sacral chordoma is a rare, slow-growing cancerous bone tumor that forms in the sacrum at the base of the spine. The National Cancer Institute notes that chordomas can also develop at the base of the skull or elsewhere along the spine.