U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard told a Senate committee that Iran’s uranium enrichment program was neutralized by bombing in June 2023.
Gabbard’s Past Opposition to Iran Intervention
During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on global security threats on Wednesday, March 18th, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, addressed the topic of Iran. Gabbard had previously expressed opposition to military intervention in Iran, stating in 2019 that then-President Trump was close to starting a “very stupid and costly war.”
She continued to share views with Joe Kent, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who resigned in protest against war, believing Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the U.S., and that the White House yielded to Israeli pressure.
Intelligence Assessment on Iran’s Nuclear Capabilities
Gabbard clarified that her testimony reflected the assessment of the U.S. intelligence community, not her personal views. In a written statement, she stated that the Iranian uranium enrichment program was completely disabled following the bombing of facilities in June of last year, and Iran has not attempted to restart it since.
When questioned by senators about omitting this information from her oral testimony, Gabbard stated she was attempting to save time and confirmed it was the intelligence community’s assessment. She denied intentionally avoiding contradicting the White House narrative.
White House Narrative and Direct Threat Assessment
Responding to Senator Jon Ossoff’s challenge regarding the White House’s justification for war against Iran – “eliminating the direct nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime” – Gabbard stated that “the only person who can determine what is and is not a direct threat is the President of the United States.”
Current Status of Iranian Regime and Capabilities
According to intelligence services, the Iranian regime “appears intact, but largely degraded due to attacks on its leaders and military potential.” Despite this weakening, Iran and its proxies remain capable of continuing attacks on U.S. forces and allies in the Middle East.
The intelligence community assesses that if the hostile regime survives, it will pursue long-term efforts to rebuild its missile and drone capabilities.
Trump’s Spending on the Middle East
Anne Applebaum reports that at the current rate of consumption of weapons, ammunition, military equipment, and logistical operations, Trump will spend in three months in the Middle East as much as the U.S. spent over three years supporting Ukraine.
