Donald Trump shuts down Tulsi Gabbard's assessment that Iran wasn’t close to having a nuclear weapon

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump had a stunning split with Director of National Security Tulsi Gabbard as he angrily pushed back on her assessment that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon.

During testimony to lawmakers in March, Gabbard claimed that while Iran had an “unprecedented” stockpile of weapons-grade uranium, the country did not appear to be building a nuclear weapon.

Tulsi Gabbard testifies Iran was not actively building a nuclear weapon

When Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee in March, she claimed on behalf of the intelligence community that "Iran's cyber operations and capabilities present a serious threat to US networks and data.”

However, the former Democrat added that the intelligence community "continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.”

"We continue to monitor closely if Tehran decides to reauthorize its nuclear weapons program," Gabbard told the committee on March 26, according to Fox News Digital.

"In the past year, we've seen an erosion of a decades-long taboo in Iran on discussing nuclear weapons in public, likely emboldening nuclear weapons advocates within Iran's decision-making apparatus,” she added.

Donald Trump says he doesn’t ‘care’ about Tulsi Gabbard's assessment

On Monday, June 16, when Donald Trump was traveling back to Washington, DC, following his early exit from the G7 summit, he was asked about Tulsi Gabbard’s previous testimony.

"You've always said that you don't believe Iran should be able to have a nuclear weapon. But how close do you personally think that they were to getting one?" a reporter asked Trump while aboard Air Force One.

"Very close," Trump affirmed, to which the reporter replied, "Because Tulsi Gabbard testified in March that the intelligence community said Iran wasn't building a nuclear weapon.”

The president then shot back, "I don't care what she said. I think they were very close to having one."

Following Trump’s comments, Gabbard insisted to reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that her testimony in March was consistent with the president.

“What President Trump is saying is the same thing I said in my annual threat assessment in March to Congress,” she said, according to The Hill.

Donald Trump grew incensed at Tulsi Gabbard over ‘unauthorized video’

This came after a slew of reports claimed that the president has largely sidelined Tulsi Gabbard over an unauthorized video that warned about the threat of nuclear war — a message that appeared to be at odds with the MAGA administration’s position as tensions involving Iran escalate.

The three-minute video that the Director of National Intelligence shared on June 10 highlighted a warning that “political elite and warmongers” are “carelessly fomenting fear and tensions between nuclear powers” — and that the world is “on the brink of nuclear annihilation.”

Trump saw the “unauthorized video and became incensed, alleging to aides at the White House that she had spoken out of turn, sources told Politico.

“I don’t think he dislikes Tulsi as a person … But certainly the video made him not super hot on her … and he doesn’t like it when people are off message,” one senior administration official stated, adding, “Many took that video as trying to correct the administration’s position.”

The MAGA leader reportedly confronted Gabbard personally over the video, and according to another administration insider, “just been kind of down on her in general.” The official added that Trump thinks she “doesn’t add anything to any conversation.”

Internet asks Tulsi Gabbard to resign over her testimony

After Donald Trump’s comments over Tulsi Gabbard’s testimony went viral on the internet, many users came out in the president’s support and asked the Director of National Intelligence to resign.

One said, “Having become unnecessary in Trump's eyes, Tulsi Gabbard should resign and speak out against this war,” and another wrote, “Trump’s opinion Trumps Tulsi.”

A person remarked, “Wow. So @DNIGabbard was sensationally wrong on this critical issue. She needs to be fired immediately,” while someone else added, “Relying on her is a bad idea, I can't blame him there."

An individual slammed Gabbard writing, “Complete dysfunction and incompetence.”

“Shockingly I agree with Trump. Gabbard was not a good choice as an Assad apologist but people like @MeghanMcCain kept blindly supporting their friend despite the red flags,” one more stated.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.