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By Mandy Taheri
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Video clips of Senator Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, pressing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard over conflicting statements about Iran’s nuclear enrichment program have gained traction online.
Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday in a session dominated by the U.S. war with Iran and questions about whether Tehran truly posed an “imminent threat” as the White House has claimed.
Her testimony came a day after Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation over concerns about the war. He wrote that he believes Iran “posed no imminent threat” to the United States and that “it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
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Why It Matters
The U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, notably killing the country’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Israel and U.S. forces have carried out sustained bombardments across the country, including strikes on military facilities, as well as energy and civilian infrastructure.
Officials have reported upward of 2,500 deaths in the war, including more than 1,300 in Iran. The war has expanded beyond Iran, with Tehran hitting Gulf states and Israel striking Lebanon, with reports of more than 900 people killed in Lebanon, 12 in Israel and 13 U.S. service members. The United Nations Refugee Agency said that more than 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran.
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What To Know
Ossoff, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, read several quotes to Gabbard from her opening statement, previous remarks and White House statements on Iran.
He noted that Gabbard said in her opening statement that as a result of the June 2025 airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, “Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated.” Gabbard confirmed, “that’s right.”
He continued, “So, the assessment of the Intelligence community is that Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated by last summer’s airstrikes.”
“Yes,” Gabbard said.
Ossoff added that “there has been no effort since then to try and rebuild their [Iran’s] enrichment capability.”
Quoting the White House’s March 1 statement about the military campaign in Iran, Ossoff said, “to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime.” He then asked Gabbard, “was it the assessment of the Intelligence Community that there was an ‘imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime?’”
Gabbard replied: “The intelligence community assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild and to continue to grow their nuclear enrichment capability.”
Ossoff asked Gabbard again, ending his rephrased question with “yes or no?” Gabbard responded: “Senator the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president.”
Ossoff jumped in and said: “False.”
Gabbard responded: “It is not the intelligence community’s responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat,” with Ossoff interjecting that “it is precisely your responsibility.”
Clips of the exchange have spread widely across social media, drawing heightened attention as questions persist over the rationale for the war with Iran, which has caused heavy casualties through the region and pushed oil prices higher.
What People Are Saying
Amy McGrath, former Marine fighter pilot and U.S. Senate candidate from Kentucky, on X: “This is the problem with having sycophants fill these key national security positions. Like Tulsi, they care more about their job protecting Trump than their job protecting America.”
Ryan Goodman, an NYU law professor, on X: "Ossoff is excellent at this. Exposes the White House lie on Iran posing an "imminent nuclear threat." Exposes DNI Gabbard's politicization of intelligence community And pro tip: Exposes flaws in Supreme Court's maximalist 'unitary executive theory' of the presidency."
Joanne Carducci, an influencer with more than 1 million followers, shared a video clip on X with the caption: “Once again, proving that Donald Trump lied about an ‘imminent threat’ from Iran.”
Jon Favreau, Pod Save America co-host and former Obama speechwriter, on X: “The Director of Intelligence refuses to say that the intel showed Iran presented an imminent threat to the U.S.”
Travis Akers, a retired U.S. Navy intel officer, on X: “The fact that DNI Tulsi Gabbard does not believe it is the intelligence community's responsibility to determine if a threat is imminent is disqualifying for her to be the National Intelligence Director. That is one, among many, of the primary responsibilities of the IC.”
What Happens Next
Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the United States will be finishing the military operation against Iran "in pretty much the very near future."
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