‘That’s Simply Perjury!’ Lawrence O’Donnell Torches Trump Intel Chief Gabbard For ‘Lying’ At Hearing

MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell tore into Trump Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard over her assertion that President Donald Trump is “the only person who can determine” if Iran is an “imminent threat” — accusing her of “perjury.”

Gabbard made the remark at a hearing on Wednesday under intense grilling from Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA):

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was a quote “imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime,” yes or no?

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: Senator, the only person who can determine in what is and is not an imminent threat is the president.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): False.

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: And he made that determination.

On Wednesday night’s edition of MS NOW’s The Last Word, O’Donnell flayed Gabbard over her testimony, deconstructing several exchanges and accusing her of “lying” under oath:

O’DONNELL: In her Senate testimony today, Tulsi Gabbard said that it is the intelligence community’s assessment that the Iranian dictatorial regime is still firmly in control of the country. And here is what Tulsi Gabbard said in her Senate testimony when she was asked, who’s right? Donald Trump, who said that the United States could be hit with an Iranian nuclear weapon two weeks from now if he didn’t launch his war, or Joe Kent, who said there was no imminent threat?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was a, quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime? Yes or no?

TULSI GABBARD, DNI: Senator, the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president.

OSSOFF: False. This is the worldwide — this is the worldwide threats hearing, where you present to congress national intelligence, timely, objective and independent of political considerations. You’ve stated today that the intelligence community’s assessment is that Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. And that, quote, there had been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability.

Was it the intelligence community’s assessment that nevertheless, despite this obliteration, there was a, quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime? Yes or no?

GABBARD: It is not the intelligence community’s responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat. That is up to the president —

OSSOFF: OK, here’s the problem —

GABBARD: — based on a volume of information that he received.

OSSOFF: No, it is. It is precisely that. It is precisely your responsibility to determine what constitutes a threat to the United States. This is the worldwide threats hearing, where, as you noted in your opening testimony, quote, “you represent the I.C.’s assessment of threats.”

You are here to represent the I.C.’s assessment of threats. That’s a quote from your own opening statement. And so, my question is, as you’re here to present the I.C.’s assessment of threats, was it the assessment of the intelligence community that, as the White House claimed on March 1st, there was a, quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime? Yes or no?

GABBARD: Once again, Senator, the intelligence community has provided the inputs that make up this annual threat assessment.

OSSOFF: You won’t answer the question?

GABBARD: The nature of the imminent threat that the president has to make that determination based on a collection and volume.

OSSOFF: You’re here to be timely —

GABBARD: Intelligence that he is provided with.

OSSOFF: You’re here to be timely, objective and independent of political considerations.

GABBARD: Exactly what I’m doing.

OSSOFF: No, you’re evading a question because to provide a candid response to the committee would contradict a statement from the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O’DONNELL: It would have been so easy for Tulsi Gabbard to say, I agree with the president’s judgment that there was an imminent threat. She refused to do that, refused to tell that lie for Donald Trump. And in refusing to do that, she is actually defying Donald Trump, not protecting Donald Trump.

And of course, she is also lying when she said that the only person who can determine what is and isn’t an imminent threat is the president. That is simply perjury.

[22:10:02]

Tulsi Gabbard was asked about recent reports that Vladimir Putin has been helping Iran target the American military in this war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ANGUS KING (I-ME): Could you update us on the intelligence on Russia, intelligence sharing with Iran in the current conflict? What do we know?

GABBARD: Senator, if there is that sharing going on, that would be an answer that would be appropriate for a closed session.

KING: Well, it’s been in the public press. This is an open source that it’s occurring. Is it occurring?

GABBARD: Again, if it is occurring that would be an answer appropriate for closed session. What I can tell you is that according to the Department of War, any support that Iran may be receiving is not inhibiting their operational effects.

KING: Okay. That’s sort of the first cousin of a yes.

O’DONNELL: And then Tulsi Gabbard had to resort to lying again and pretend that she is the only person in America who doesn’t know that Donald Trump said that he was surprised that the Iranians closed the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Wall Street Journal” reported on March 13th that Donald Trump, quote, “Told his team that Tehran would likely capitulate before closing the strait. And even if Iran tried, the U.S. military could handle it.”

That is what the stupidest military tactician in history thought before he launched his war. And Tulsi Gabbard knows that. And so today, she chose to pretend that she doesn’t know that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA): The president continues to say as well, that he had no idea — it was shocked that the Iranians had moved to take over the Strait of Hormuz. Did you provide any intelligence that would say that it would be. That it was not likely that the Iranians would try to move on the street?

GABBARD: I’m not aware of those remarks, and I think those of us here at the table can point to the fact that historically, the Iranians have always threatened to leverage their control —

WARNER: Why would the president say he was amazed?

GABBARD: I’m not aware of those remarks.

WARNER: What about the comments the president made that thought that he was surprised. Again, reports that Iran struck the adjacent Gulf states.

GABBARD: Again, I’m not aware of those remarks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Watch above via MS NOW’s The Last Word.

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