A notable photo captured President Trump and his top national security advisors gathered in the situation room during a significant attack on three Iranian nuclear sites. However, one key figure was notably absent.
The Director of National Intelligence, whose views on Iran’s nuclear situation have recently differed from the President’s, wasn’t included in the dramatic images released.
In fact, Gabbard asserted back in March that “Iran is not developing nuclear weapons,” which directly contradicted Trump’s statements made at the time.
“I think they were very close to having it,” Trump remarked on Tuesday, referring to Iran’s nuclear aspirations.
During a closed-door session with the Senate Budget Committee, Gabbard claimed she and Trump actually shared a common understanding.
Despite the earlier disagreement, it was confirmed that Gabbard was present in the situation room, although the Director of National Intelligence was not visible in any photographs.
A spokesperson for the Trump administration noted that various cabinet members and staff were present alongside the President during the strike on an Iranian facility.
Along with Gabbard’s team, the gathering included deputy White House chiefs Dan Scavino and James Blair, newspaper director Caroline Lewitt, national security board member Andy Baker, White House legal counsel David Warrington, and Middle East advisor Steve Witkoff.
In a photo shared by the White House, Trump was seen seated between Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, dressed in a suit with a red “Make America Great Again” cap.
Back in March, Gabbard indicated to lawmakers that the [Intelligence Community] assessed Iran had not developed nuclear weapons and that Supreme Leader Khamenei had not authorized a nuclear weapons program since it was halted in 2003.
However, Gabbard, a former Democratic representative from Hawaii, also cautioned that “Tehran has decided to reinstate its nuclear weapons program,” pointing to the country’s elevated uranium stockpile as unprecedented for a nation without nuclear weapons.
Read the latest information on the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Gabbard’s comments last Sunday, stating, “What we got and what we shared with the US was absolutely clear; they were working on a secret plan to weaponize uranium. They were moving very quickly.”
Prior to Israel’s strike on Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed worries about Iran’s uranium enrichment levels, although the administration stopped short of claiming Iran was actively pursuing nuclear weapon development.
Vance expressed support for Gabbard earlier this week in a statement to Fox News, stating, “She is an important member of our team, and we are grateful for the tireless work that keeps America safe from foreign threats.”
