Trump clashes with intelligence chief over Iran’s nuclear ambitions

Brace yourselves, folks — President Donald Trump just dropped a bombshell by publicly disputing his own spy chief’s take on Iran’s nuclear program.

In a stunning display of discord, Trump rejected Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s assessment that Iran isn’t actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, siding instead with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s justification for recent airstrikes on Iranian targets, as Reuters reports.

This marks the first public rift between Trump and Gabbard during his second term, a clash that unfolded as the president spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning early from the G7 summit in Canada.

Trump takes bold stance

“Very close,” Trump declared when pressed on how near he believes Iran is to possessing a nuclear weapon.

Well, that’s a far cry from Gabbard’s testimony to Congress in March, where she affirmed the U.S. intelligence community’s judgment that Tehran isn’t working on a warhead. Seems like the president’s gut instinct trumps — pun intended — cold, hard intel once again.

Trump doubled down, saying, “I don’t care what she said.” He insisted Iran was on the brink of a breakthrough, echoing Netanyahu’s rationale for last week’s military strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites.

Gabbard stands firm

Gabbard, for her part, told Congress that U.S. spy agencies see no evidence Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has greenlit a nuclear weapons program, which both the U.S. and the International Atomic Energy Agency believe ceased in 2003.

A source with access to U.S. intelligence reports confirmed to Reuters that this assessment remains unchanged, despite Trump’s contrary view. Meanwhile, Iran continues to insist its uranium enrichment is purely for peaceful purposes.

Interestingly, Gabbard, often seen as a staunch Trump loyalist, was quoted by a CNN reporter on X as saying she and the president are “on the same page.” If that’s true, one wonders which page they’re reading from, because the public statements sure don’t match.

Intelligence estimates, expert concerns

U.S. spy services estimate it would take Iran up to three years to develop a warhead capable of striking a target of choice, as initially reported by CNN.

Yet, some experts caution that Iran might cobble together a crude, untested nuclear device in far less time, though there’s no guarantee it would function. That’s a gamble no one wants to see played out in the Middle East.

Trump’s dismissal of intelligence findings isn’t new; he’s frequently challenged U.S. spy agencies throughout his presidency, often accusing them, without evidence, of being part of a “deep state” opposed to his agenda.

Deep state allegations resurface

Even Gabbard, despite her loyalty to Trump, has echoed claims of a shadowy cabal within government ranks working against the administration. It’s a narrative that resonates with many who feel the system is rigged against outsiders like Trump.

Still, this public spat raises questions about cohesion at the top levels of national security. When the commander in chief and his top intelligence officer can’t align on a threat as grave as Iran’s nuclear capabilities, it’s hard not to wonder who’s steering the ship — and toward what horizon.