Washington, D.C. — March 27, 2025: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the U.S. intelligence community still believes Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons — a stance that directly contradicts long-standing claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Gabbard: Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program Remains Dormant
Speaking during the presentation of the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment, Gabbard said there is no current evidence that Iran has resumed its nuclear weapons program, which was halted in 2003 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“The intelligence community continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, and that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has not reauthorized the program he suspended in 2003,” Gabbard testified.
“We are monitoring closely to see if Tehran makes any move to reauthorize,” she added.
The report represents the consensus of 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. Despite the significance of her statement, media coverage was minimal — until WikiLeaks amplified it on social media, pushing the issue into the spotlight.
US intelligence assessed just weeks ago that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 14, 2025
“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.… pic.twitter.com/jtNw3d3xgR
No Threat to U.S. Homeland, But Regional Tensions Remain
Gabbard noted that while Iran does not pose a direct threat to the U.S. mainland, it still presents regional risks.
“Iran will likely continue to support proxy forces and militias through what it calls its ‘Axis of Resistance’ — targeting Israeli interests, U.S. forces abroad, and commercial shipping routes,” she explained.
This includes ongoing threats to U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, as well as to Israeli civilians and international maritime trade.
U.S. Intelligence Disputes Netanyahu’s Nuclear Warnings
Gabbard’s remarks starkly contrast with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-held assertions that Iran is nearing nuclear weapons capability.
Since the early 1990s, Netanyahu has issued repeated warnings — many of which included urgent deadlines that have passed without verification.
- In 1992, he said Iran was 3–5 years away from a bomb.
- In 2012, he used a cartoon bomb at the UN to warn that Iran was “months away.”
- In 2018, he presented secret documents alleging ongoing nuclear activity.
Most recently, in 2025, Netanyahu justified airstrikes on Iranian sites by claiming the country could build a bomb within months — a claim now contradicted by both U.S. and, historically, even Israeli intelligence.
Leaked cables from 2012 showed that Israeli intelligence quietly agreed with U.S. analysts, acknowledging that Iran was not performing the necessary work to produce a bomb.
Backlash from Non-Interventionists in Trump’s Circle
The debate over Iran policy is also splitting Donald Trump’s political base. Figures like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson — representing the non-interventionist wing of the right — are pushing back hard against calls for more U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts.
On his “War Room” podcast, Bannon criticized U.S. troops’ continued presence in Iraq, calling it the result of past lies from the political establishment.
“We were lied to — plain and simple,” Bannon said. “If you want to protect America, bring our people home. Enough with the forever wars.”
Bannon also condemned Israel’s recent strikes on Iran, arguing that the U.S. should not be expected to automatically jump into another war on Israel’s behalf.
“You want to act alone? Then go it alone. Don’t strike first and then call us to bail you out,” he added.
Why Do We Have American Troops In Iraq? Because Fox News And Bush LIED. pic.twitter.com/B1bjv8bSJP
— STEVE BANNON 🇺🇸 (@Stevebannon_sk) June 13, 2025
Carlson: “Name the Warmongers”
Tucker Carlson echoed the sentiment in a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), calling out former colleagues and conservative media figures as promoters of unnecessary war.
“The real divide isn’t between supporters of Israel or Iran. It’s between warmongers and those trying to prevent war,” Carlson wrote. “If you’re calling for U.S. airstrikes today, you’re on the wrong side of history.”
He named Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Rupert Murdoch, Ike Perlmutter, and Miriam Adelson as leading voices pushing for military escalation.
The real divide isn’t between people who support Israel and people who support Iran or the Palestinians. The real divide is between those who casually encourage violence, and those who seek to prevent it — between warmongers and peacemakers. Who are the warmongers? They would…
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 13, 2025
Gabbard Warns of Nuclear Catastrophe
Tulsi Gabbard herself has issued a strong warning to the public. In a recent video, she said the world is edging dangerously close to nuclear catastrophe, fueled by elite politicians and defense industry influencers.
“We’re closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before,” she said. “Those pushing this agenda likely have bunkers — you don’t. It’s up to the people to stop this madness.”
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