[News] Trump rejects Gabbard’s nuclear Intel, says 'I don’t care'

[Anti-Imperialist News]

english.almayadeen.net
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-rejects-gabbard-s-nuclear-intel--says--i-don-t-care>
Trump rejects Gabbard’s nuclear Intel, says 'I don’t care'
Al Mayadeen English
June 17, 2025
------------------------------

Trump claims Iran was "very close" to building a nuclear weapon, dismissing
Tulsi Gabbard and US intelligence reports that Tehran halted its program in
2003.

   - [image: US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with
   Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, June
   16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada (AP)]
   <https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/6/17/b89b9295-19fa-4f66-9e3e-87ab929dd1ee.jpg?width=1000>
   US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Canada's Prime
   Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, June 16, 2025, in
   Kananaskis, Canada (AP)

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran was “very close” to
acquiring a nuclear weapon, directly contradicting official assessments
from the US intelligence community and US Director of National Intelligence
Tulsi Gabbard.

During an exchange with a *CNN *reporter on Tuesday, Trump was asked how
close he believed Iran had been to obtaining a nuclear weapon. The question
came in light of testimony from Gabbard earlier this year, in which she
cited the intelligence community’s continued assessment that Iran was not
pursuing nuclear weapons
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-denounces-western-pressure-on-iaea--vows-response-to-re>
.

“The IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon,”
Gabbard said during her March testimony. “Supreme Leader Khamenei has not
authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.”

Trump, however, dismissed those findings outright. “I don’t care what she
said,” he replied. “I think they were very close to having one
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-reaffirms-right-to-peaceful-nuclear-program--vows-not-t>
.”
Iran not ready to offer new concessions

According to a report by *The Wall Street Journal*, Arab mediators have
conveyed that Iran shows no indication of being prepared to offer new
concessions should nuclear negotiations with the United States resume.

Citing unnamed regional officials involved in backchannel diplomacy, the
report highlights growing concerns that Tehran is instead signaling a
readiness to escalate both its nuclear activities
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/aeoi-affirms-peaceful-nuclear-development-despite-attacks>
 and regional conflict if talks remain stalled.

Arab officials reportedly told the *WSJ* that Iran had warned of
accelerating its nuclear program and expanding its confrontation against
the Israeli occupation if diplomatic prospects with Washington fail to
materialize.

The European trio, Germany, France, and Britain (E3), largely focused their
statements on condemning Iran and upholding "Israel's" right to self-defense
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/macron-backs--israel-s-right-to-defend-itself--in-call-with>.
Although the strikes originated from "Israel", the E3 refrained from
criticizing the offensive, instead stressing the need for de-escalation and
renewed diplomacy.
Iran pursuing peaceful ambitions

In a message on its official X account on Sunday, the Atomic Energy
Organization of Iran (AEOI) reaffirmed its commitment to advancing peaceful
nuclear technology, vowing that recent attacks would not deter the nation's
scientific progress.

"Iran stands strong," the post declared, signaling resilience in the face
of mounting external pressure and threats, emphasizing that Iran’s nuclear
program remains firmly rooted in peaceful development, stating: "With
reliance on the efforts of the nuclear scientists of the homeland, we will
continue the path of developing peaceful nuclear technology for the Iranian
people with strength."

The AEOI also dismissed recent hostile actions by adversaries
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/aeoi-slams-iaea-s-silence-despite-israeli-aggression-on-nucl>,
asserting that such aggression would not break the nation’s resolve: "The
desperate attacks of the enemies cannot rival the will of this nation."

Despite international scrutiny, Iran maintains that its nuclear program is
fully in line with its commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
and is solely intended for civilian purposes.
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