Suspenseful images present President Trump huddling along with his high nationwide safety officers within the State of affairs Room through the historic strikes on three Iranian nuclear services — however one key particular person was lacking.
Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard — who the president had publicly break up with this week over assessments on Iran’s nuclear program — was notably absent from the dramatic pics.
Gabbard had claimed to lawmakers in March that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon,” however was immediately contradicted by Trump in latest days, who stated he didn’t “care what she said.”
“I think they were very close to having one,” he stated of Iran’s nuclear ambitions Tuesday.
Gabbard, who testified earlier than the Senate Appropriations Committee in a closed-door session Tuesday, later insisted to reporters that she and Trump are “on the same page.”
Regardless of the temporary break up, Gabbard was within the State of affairs Room, The Submit confirmed. The nationwide intelligence director was simply not photographed.
A Trump admin spokesperson has confirmed the next Cupboard members and officers had been within the State of affairs Room with the president because the US carried out its strikes on the Iranian nuclear services: Vice President JD Vance, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State and performing nationwide safety adviser Marco Rubio and White Home chief of employees Susie Wiles — all of whom may very well be seen in images.
Gabbard, White Home deputy chiefs Dan Scavino and James Blair, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, nationwide safety council member Andy Baker, White Home basic counsel David Warrington and Particular Envoy for the Center East Steve Witkoff had been additionally there.
Within the images launched by the White Home on Saturday, Trump, sporting a swimsuit and a purple “Make America Great Again” hat, was seated between Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he watched the US army perform airstrikes.
In March, Gabbard instructed lawmakers: “The IC [Intelligence Community] continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamanei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.”
The previous Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii additionally cautioned on the time that the IC remains to be monitoring if “Tehran decides to reauthorize its nuclear weapons program” and “Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.”
Learn the newest on the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear services:
Final Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu additionally dismissed Gabbard’s testimony.
“The intel we got and we shared with the United States was absolutely clear — was absolutely clear — that they were working in a secret plan to weaponize the uranium,” Netanyahu instructed Fox Information “Special Report” host Bret Baier. “They were marching very quickly.”
Final week – previous to Israel’s strikes in opposition to Iran – the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company raised issues about Iran’s uranium enrichment ranges, whereas in a roundabout way stating that the regime was seeking to construct a nuclear weapon.
Vance issued a press release in assist of Gabbard earlier this week, telling Fox Information: “DNI Gabbard is a veteran, a patriot, a loyal supporter of President Trump and a critical part of the coalition he built in 2024.”
“She is an essential member of our team, and we’re grateful for her tireless work to keep America safe from foreign threats,” he added.
