Trump Rejects Gabbard’s Iran Nuclear Claim, Warns of Imminent Threat

President Donald Trump sharply contradicted his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday, dismissing her claim that Iran is not close to developing nuclear weapons. Speaking to reporters before heading to his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, Trump insisted, "She's wrong," and suggested Iran could produce a nuclear weapon within "weeks to months."

Gabbard fired back on social media, accusing the media of twisting her March Senate Intelligence Committee testimony, where she stated Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei has not revived the nuclear weapons program suspended in 2003. "The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context," she posted on X, standing by her assessment but aligning with Trump’s stance that Iran must not acquire nuclear capabilities.

Trump, who famously opposed the Iraq War, drew a distinction when pressed on parallels with Iran. "There were no weapons of mass destruction. I never thought there were," he said, emphasizing that Iran’s amassed nuclear material poses a far greater threat today. "It’s a tremendous amount of material," he warned, underscoring the urgency of preventing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The public spat highlights tensions within Trump’s team, though the White House insists the president and Gabbard remain aligned. Meanwhile, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner recently backed Gabbard’s view, citing current intelligence. Gabbard’s recent X post, a cryptic warning about "warmongers" pushing the world toward nuclear war, adds fuel to the debate, revealing deeper divides on how to handle Iran’s nuclear potential.