President Donald Trump has suggested Iran is nearing the capability to build a nuclear weapon, a claim that puts him at odds with his top intelligence adviser and deepens internal divisions over whether the United States should join Israel’s military campaign.
On board Air Force One following his early departure from the G7 summit in Canada, Trump dismissed the view of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who testified in March that Iran had not resumed its long-dormant nuclear weapons program.
“I don’t care what she said,” Trump told reporters. “I believe they’re very close.”
Gabbard later responded by highlighting Iran’s rising uranium enrichment levels, claiming she and the president both recognize the danger. But the exchange reveals a growing divide within Trump’s administration and the broader “America First” movement over how the U.S. should respond.
Officials aligned with more aggressive policies, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and hawks in Congress, point to a recent International Atomic Energy Agency report accusing Iran of violating its nuclear commitments for the first time in two decades. They argue that military pressure is needed to halt Tehran’s progress.
Others, like Vice-President JD Vance and conservative voices including Tucker Carlson, urge caution. They warn that overstating Iran’s threat could drag the U.S. into another costly conflict, similar to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which was justified using flawed intelligence.
“The real divide isn’t over Israel or Iran,” Carlson said on X. “It’s between those who casually promote war and those trying to stop it.”
Trump, who rose to power as a critic of foreign entanglements, now faces pressure from both sides. While some Republicans call for regime change in Tehran, few within the White House appear eager to replicate the sweeping military intervention of the early 2000s.
As debate grows, the president’s decision to dismiss his intelligence chief’s sworn testimony raises questions about how he weighs advice — and whose judgment will shape the next major U.S. move in the region.
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