Trump DNI Tulsi Gabbard Cornered Into Conspicuous Dodge on Trump’s ‘Imminent Threat’ Claim

Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) cornered Trump Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard into a conspicuous dodge over the claim that President Donald Trump went to war because Iran’s nuclear program was an “imminent threat.”

In a statement on the resignation of Joe Kent, Gabbard claimed that Trump started the war because he determined Iran was an “imminent threat.”

The statement echoed a White House claim that the war was launched “to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime.”

Director Gabbard testified at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats on Wednesday, during which Ossoff got Gabbard to admit that after the administration “obliterated”  Iran’s nuclear program, there was “no effort” to “rebuild” it.

Ossoff then asked her if it was “the assessment of the intelligence community that there was a quote ‘imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime,'” which led Gabbard to deliver a stunning response.

“It is not the intelligence community’s responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat,” Gabbard said:

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): That opening statement as submitted to the committee in advance of this hearing stated that as a result of last summer’s airstrikes quote “Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated?” End quote. Correct?

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: That’s right.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): And is that in fact the assessment of the intelligence community?

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: Yes.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): So the assessment of the intelligence community. Is that iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated by last summer’s airstrikes.

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: Yes.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): In the opening statement you submitted the committee last night also stated quote there has been no effort since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability” end quote correct? That’s right. And that’s the assessment of the intelligence community.

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: Yes.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): The White House stated on March first of this year that this war was launched and was, quote, “a military campaign to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime,” end quote. That’s a statement from the White House. Quote, “the imminent, nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime.”.

Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was an imminent, nuclear threat, posed by Iranian regime?

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: The intelligence community assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild and to continue to grow their nuclear enrichment capability.

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.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): 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 communities assessment that, nevertheless, despite this obliteration there was a quote “imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime,” yes or no.

TRUMP DNI TULSI 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 based on a volume of information and that is up to the president based on a volume of information that he receives.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): 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 IC’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 see’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?

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

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): You won’t answer the question.

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: It is the nature of the imminent threat that the president has to make that determination based on a collection and volume of information and intelligence that he is provided with. He is provided with.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): You’re here to be timely, objective, and independent of political considerations.

TRUMP DNI TULSI GABBARD: Exactly what I’m doing.

SENATOR JON OSSOFF (D-GA): No, you’re evading a question because to provide a candid response to the committee would contradict a statement from the White House.

Watch above via CNN.

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