US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has revised her stance on Iran’s nuclear capabilities, stating that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon “within weeks to months” if it decides to finalize assembly.
This change in position comes after President Donald Trump publicly disagreed with her March testimony, where she said Iran was not building nuclear weapons. Gabbard emphasized that her earlier comments were taken “out of context” and aligned herself with Trump’s concerns about the immediacy of the threat posed by Iran.
Gabbard’s testimony in March before the US Senate Intelligence Committee indicated that the US intelligence community assessed Iran was not building a nuclear weapon. However, she also noted that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was at an all-time high, describing it as “unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons”. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had expressed concern about Iran’s stockpile earlier this month, highlighting the potential risks associated with its nuclear program.
Trump criticized Gabbard’s assessment, stating, “She is wrong.” He believes Iran is “very close to having a weapon” and has a “tremendous amount of material”. Gabbard responded by posting on social media, “The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division.” She emphasized that US intelligence shows Iran is at a point where it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks or months if it decides to finalize assembly.
The disagreement between Trump and Gabbard comes at a time when the White House is weighing its involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has justified airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, claiming Tehran was on the verge of having a warhead.
Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes against Israel, resulting in casualties on both sides. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, stated that Iran is “absolutely ready for a negotiated solution” on its nuclear program but cannot engage in negotiations while under bombardment.
Administration officials have downplayed the inconsistency between Trump and Gabbard, noting that enriching uranium can put Iran on track to having a nuclear weapon. A source with access to US intelligence reports indicated that the assessment presented by Gabbard hasn’t changed, estimating it would take up to three years for Iran to build a warhead capable of hitting a target of its choice.