A rare and dramatic fracture has emerged within President Trump’s national security team — and it’s playing out in public.
During a press gaggle aboard Air Force One Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump dismissed the intelligence assessment of his own Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The statement has sparked speculation of deeper tensions between the Oval Office and the intelligence community.
When pressed by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins about Tehran’s progress toward nuclear weapons, Trump didn’t hesitate:
“Very close,” he asserted bluntly.
Collins then referenced Gabbard’s March testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, where she stated unequivocally that Iran had not resumed its nuclear weapons program. Gabbard, a former congresswoman and military veteran, said:
“The IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khomeini has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.”
Trump, however, rejected that view outright.
“I don’t care what she said,” Trump snapped. “I think they were very close to having one.”
Missing from the Table
Adding fuel to the fire, Axios confirmed that Tulsi Gabbard was not present during a recent string of critical Camp David national security meetings focused on Iran and the escalating crisis in Gaza. The meetings were attended by Trump’s most trusted foreign policy hawks, including:
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Vice President J.D. Vance
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
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Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
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CIA Director John Ratcliffe
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Special Envoy Steve Witkoff
Gabbard’s conspicuous absence raised eyebrows. While Axios issued a correction confirming she was not invited to the sessions, it fueled speculation about whether the president is intentionally sidelining her from key national security decisions.
Tensions in the Ranks
Gabbard, appointed by Trump to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, has walked a tightrope between presenting sober intelligence assessments and aligning with Trump’s combative foreign policy tone. But this latest clash signals a deeper schism — one where loyalty may be weighed more heavily than analysis.
With tensions flaring in the Middle East, Trump appears increasingly determined to steer the narrative and strategy on Iran himself, regardless of what official intelligence says. The implications are clear: in Trump’s White House, even top officials are not immune from public rebuke — especially when they clash with his instincts.
And in this case, Tulsi Gabbard learned that lesson the hard way.
