Trump Ally: Gabbard Rift Over Iran Was ‘Setup’ By Intelligence Community
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, has faced media criticism and speculation that she’s been sidelined from key White House decisions. However, retired Army Lt. General Michael Flynn, who briefly served as national security adviser to President Trump and led the Defense Intelligence Agency under Obama, claims Gabbard was “set up” by the intelligence community.
Flynn suggests she was given misleading or incomplete information ahead of her March testimony to Congress, where she stated Iran was not pursuing a nuclear weapon. Flynn explained that Gabbard, new in her role, relied on intelligence from officials mostly appointed by previous administrations and has yet to build a fully trustworthy team.
Despite this, Flynn praised her effectiveness and commitment. In her March 25 Senate testimony, Gabbard said the intelligence community continues to assess that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons but also highlighted that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is at an unprecedented level for a non-nuclear state—a point many media outlets overlooked.
She later accused the media of deliberately distorting her remarks, emphasizing that U.S. intelligence shows Iran could produce a nuclear weapon within weeks or months if it chooses.
President Trump publicly disagreed with her, calling her assessment “incorrect” and defending his intelligence community’s view. Vice President JD Vance also defended Gabbard, describing her as a veteran, patriot, and vital member of Trump’s 2024 national security team who works tirelessly to protect America from foreign threats.
