US President Donald Trump dismissed an assessment by then-Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Gabbard had testified before Congress in March, stating that “Iran was not building a nuclear weapon” and that “Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.”
Trump, after cutting short his G7 Summit visit, disregarded Gabbard’s assessment, despite having appointed her to lead the intelligence community and provide information from 18 US intelligence agencies.
“I don’t care what she said,” Trump stated. “I think they were very close to having one,” referring to Iran having a nuclear bomb.
This position aligns Trump more closely with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who views a nuclear-armed Iran as an imminent threat. Upon returning to the White House, Trump met with National Security officials, including Gabbard, in the Situation Room to discuss next steps.
However, officials within the Trump administration downplayed the apparent disagreement between Trump and Gabbard. As reported by the Associated Press, they emphasized that Iran’s uranium enrichment activities could lead them to obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Tulsi Gabbard, in response, accused the media of misrepresenting her testimony. She asserted, “President Trump was saying the same thing that I said,” and “We are on the same page,” as reported by CNN. Her office referred to these remarks when asked for comment.
During her congressional testimony, Gabbard clarified that the US was closely monitoring Iran’s nuclear program and that the country’s “enriched uranium stockpile is at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.”
Context:
Tensions between Israel and Iran have recently escalated. Last Friday, Israel launched strikes against Iran, and Iran retaliated with strikes on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Citing AP, a human rights group reported that the Israeli strikes resulted in 585 deaths and 1,326 injuries.
