President Trump has publicly rebuked Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard for downplaying Iran’s nuclear ambitions, deepening divisions between the White House and intelligence leaders just as military action is under active consideration.
At a Glance
- President Trump claims Iran is “weeks or months” away from a nuclear weapon
- Tulsi Gabbard asserts Iran is not actively weaponizing its nuclear materials
- U.S. intelligence community stands by its assessment of no current bomb-making
- The White House will decide on potential military action within two weeks
- Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets continue as European diplomats push for talks
Public Rift Over Iran’s Nuclear Status
In a fiery press conference Friday, President Trump dismissed Tulsi Gabbard’s congressional testimony that Tehran is not pursuing an active nuclear bomb program. “She’s wrong,” Trump said, insisting that Iran has amassed “a tremendous amount” of enriched uranium and could have a weapon “within weeks or months,” according to Politico.
Gabbard quickly responded via social media, clarifying that her remarks had been taken out of context. She reaffirmed that while Iran currently possesses the technical ability to produce a weapon quickly, there is no intelligence indicating that a decision to proceed has been made. U.S. intelligence agencies back this stance, maintaining that Iran’s leadership has not moved beyond enrichment to actual weaponization, as reported by Reuters.
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Countdown to Conflict?
The President’s sharp rhetoric and escalating military posture have triggered alarm within the intelligence community and among U.S. allies. According to Financial Times, the White House will make a final decision within two weeks on whether to pursue military action aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
In parallel, Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military assets in Syria and Iraq have intensified, raising the risk of regional escalation. European Union officials and United Nations diplomats are scrambling to broker renewed dialogue between Washington and Tehran to avert a potential conflict, as detailed in Reuters.
If the current standoff continues without diplomatic breakthroughs, the summer could see the U.S. drawn deeper into a volatile confrontation with Iran, with unpredictable global consequences.
