Trump disregards Tulsi Gabbard’s Iran allegations ‘I don’t care what she said’
(MENAFN) President Donald Trump dismissed a recent statement by his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, which claimed that Iran is not actively working on a nuclear weapons program. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump said he doesn’t care about Gabbard’s assessment and reiterated his belief that Iran was “very close” to acquiring nuclear arms.
In March, Gabbard had stated that U.S. intelligence still assessed Iran was not building a nuclear bomb and that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had not revived the weapons program that was halted in 2003. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who joined the GOP during Trump’s last campaign and was confirmed as intelligence chief in February, has long been critical of the U.S. intelligence establishment.
Trump emphasized that his focus isn’t merely on negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Iran but on achieving a complete end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “I want a real end, with Iran giving up entirely on nuclear weapons,” he said, while also warning Tehran not to target U.S. personnel in the Middle East, vowing severe retaliation if they do.
Asked whether the U.S. military might assist Israel in eliminating Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Trump said he hoped that would not be necessary, expecting the issue to be resolved before it reached that point.
According to a CNN report citing four sources, U.S. intelligence currently believes Iran is not pursuing a nuclear bomb and is likely at least three years away from being able to build one. Nonetheless, Israel justified its recent strike on Iranian nuclear sites by claiming Tehran was on the verge of obtaining a weapon—an allegation that Iranian officials have repeatedly denied, insisting their nuclear activities are strictly peaceful.
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