In 2025, President Donald Trump and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard experienced a major political and operational rift regarding the U.S. intelligence community (IC), particularly surrounding assessments on Iran.
In mid-2025, DNI Tulsi Gabbard gave congressional testimony indicating that Iran was not currently building a nuclear weapon, though she acknowledged their enriched uranium stockpiles were concerning. Her remarks were consistent with available intelligence at the time.
President Trump later contradicted this publicly, stating that Iran was "very close" to developing a nuclear weapon and dismissed Gabbard’s testimony directly, saying, "I don't care what she said. She's wrong." This public contradiction triggered widespread speculation about a breakdown in trust between Trump and Gabbard.
Gabbard responded by clarifying that her assessments had been misrepresented in the media and later issued a follow-up intelligence update suggesting Iran could technically produce a weapon within weeks to months. According to sources inside ODNI, the actual intelligence estimates had not changed; the revised public messaging was seen by some as a political concession to the president. However, this interpretation is primarily coming from legacy media and unnamed officials; it is not the stated position of the Gabbard-led ODNI.
Despite White House denials of any internal rift, Gabbard was excluded from several subsequent national security briefings regarding Iran — a notable shift in her operational role.
Gabbard remains DNI but with a somewhat diminished public role. President Trump has reportedly considered eliminating the ODNI altogether — a structural change he hinted at as early as January 2025.