President Donald Trump publicly contradicted his Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, on Tuesday regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program, asserting that Tehran was “very close to getting a nuke.”
This statement came as the President cut short his attendance at the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada, to return to Washington and address the escalating five-day conflict between Israel and Iran.
DNI Gabbard had stated in March, during a Senate intelligence briefing, that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.”
However, speaking to reporters on Air Force One early Tuesday morning, President Trump dismissed Gabbard’s assessment, saying, “I don’t care what she said. They were very close to getting a nuke.”
READ: Georgia Rep. MTG Calls For Prayers Amid Israel-Iran War, Effort Seeks To Curb U.S. Involvement
The President’s comments underscore a potential rift within his administration on a critical national security issue, particularly as tensions in the Middle East intensify.
Trump indicated he was heading directly to the White House Situation Room to manage the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran.
The White House has, in recent days, denied reports that the U.S. is attempting to broker a ceasefire between the two nations or is becoming directly involved in the fighting. The current conflict between Israel and Iran has entered its fifth day, with both sides trading strikes.
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