DNI Gabbard Tells Senate Only President Decides Iran 'Imminent Threat' After Kent’s Resignation
At a Senate Intelligence Committee “worldwide threats” hearing, DNI Tulsi Gabbard—testifying alongside CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, NSA chief Lt. Gen. William Hartman and DIA Director Lt. Gen. James Adams—said only President Trump can determine what constitutes an “imminent threat” after reviewing intelligence, declining to directly contradict former NCTC Director Joe Kent’s resignation claim that Iran posed “no imminent threat.” Kent’s departure, which accused Israeli influence and a misinformation campaign of pushing the U.S. into war, prompted sharp pushback from Ratcliffe and other officials and spurred broader scrutiny of targeting errors and civilian casualties from recent strikes.
📌 Key Facts
- The Senate Intelligence Committee held its annual worldwide‑threats hearing at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with DNI Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, NSA chief Lt. Gen. William Hartman and DIA Director Lt. Gen. James Adams testifying (with a follow‑on House Intelligence hearing Thursday).
- Former NCTC Director Joe Kent resigned in protest, writing that Iran posed 'no imminent threat,' accusing a 'misinformation campaign' by high‑ranking Israeli officials and some media of deceiving President Trump, and saying the U.S. started the Iran war 'due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.'
- DNI Tulsi Gabbard repeatedly told senators that determining what constitutes an 'imminent threat' is the president’s decision—she said President Trump, after reviewing intelligence, concluded Iran posed such a threat—and she declined in open session to state her personal view on that core dispute or to address some classified topics (e.g., whether Russia is providing Iran intelligence).
- Gabbard’s oral testimony contained a tension with her written statement: the written text said Iran’s enrichment program had been 'obliterated' with 'no efforts since then to try to rebuild' capability, while in oral exchanges she acknowledged intelligence assessments that Iran intended to rebuild enrichment.
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe rejected Kent’s 'no imminent threat' claim, calling Iran a 'constant' and 'immediate' threat; lawmakers showed a partisan split—Senate Intelligence Chair Tom Cotton predicted a protracted, intense conflict, while ranking member Mark Warner said Iran posed no imminent threat to the U.S.
- PBS reported that outdated targeting data, reportedly from the DIA, likely caused a U.S. missile strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed more than 165 people; the White House says that strike remains under investigation.
- Concerns about leadership and credibility surfaced: critics noted FBI Director Kash Patel has dismissed dozens of agents (raising worries about loss of counterterrorism experience) and faced scrutiny after a video of him partying surfaced; the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump still has 'full confidence' in Gabbard.
- The New York Times described the hearing as a 'communications crisis' for the administration, noting that Kent was a trusted aide to Gabbard and that his resignation heightened the political and personal stakes of her decision to defer the 'imminent threat' judgment to the president.
📊 Relevant Data
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the U.S. intelligence community, Iran shuttered its nuclear weapons development program in 2003, though it has maintained capabilities that could enable future weaponization.
After Trump remarks, what is status of Iran's weapons programs? — Reuters
A 2026 poll found that 61.6% of Iranian Americans support diplomacy to achieve de-escalation and a return to a nuclear agreement with Iran, compared to smaller portions favoring continued military action.
Most Iranian Americans want diplomacy with Iran: poll — Responsible Statecraft
Pro-Israel lobbying groups, including AIPAC, spent approximately $3.8 million annually on lobbying efforts related to U.S. policy toward Israel and Iran, influencing decisions such as the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA under President Trump.
Does Israel control the USA? – Iran War Briefing #8 — Counterfire
In a 2024 GAO report, racial and ethnic disparities were identified in military justice outcomes, with Black service members facing higher rates of investigations and punishments compared to White counterparts in the U.S. military, potentially exacerbating burdens in ongoing Middle East conflicts.
GAO-24-106386, MILITARY JUSTICE — U.S. Government Accountability Office
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 18, 2026
10:59 PM
What’s a Threat? Gabbard Says It’s Up to Trump, on Iran and Elsewhere.
New information:
- New York Times piece more sharply characterizes Gabbard’s testimony as effectively handing the core 'imminent threat' judgment from the intelligence community to President Trump.
- It highlights that Joe Kent is described as a 'trusted aide' and close adviser to Gabbard, underscoring the political and personal stakes of her response.
- It frames the hearing as a 'communications crisis' for the administration after Kent’s letter saying 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation', and stresses Gabbard’s balancing act of not directly attacking Kent while aligning with Trump.
7:18 PM
Gabbard defers to Trump when asked if Iran posed "imminent threat"
New information:
- Axios details an exchange in which Sen. Jon Ossoff asks whether the intelligence community assessed Iran as an 'imminent nuclear threat,' and Gabbard responds that the IC assessed Iran intended to rebuild enrichment but that 'the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president.'
- Gabbard explicitly states, 'It is not the intelligence community's responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat,' framing the IC as providing inputs while leaving 'imminent threat' judgments solely to the president.
- Axios contrasts this oral testimony with Gabbard’s prepared written statement, which said Iran’s enrichment program was 'obliterated' in prior strikes and that there had 'been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability,' highlighting a tension with her spoken reference to Iran’s intention to rebuild.
- The piece notes the White House has asserted Iran posed an 'imminent nuclear threat' but has offered no public proof of what spurred the strikes, and frames Gabbard’s answers against that backdrop and Joe Kent’s resignation letter claiming Iran posed 'no imminent threat.'
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe is quoted as saying he disagreed with Kent and viewed Iran as both a 'constant threat' and an 'immediate threat at this time,' adding another layer to the internal narrative.
- Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt tells Fox News that Trump still has 'full confidence' in Gabbard despite the controversy and her past opposition to war with Iran.
5:36 PM
Tulsi Gabbard offers threat assessment – and walks a careful line on Iran
New information:
- Tulsi Gabbard told the Senate Intelligence Committee that U.S. airstrikes under Operation Epic Fury have “vastly degraded” Iran’s military capabilities while acknowledging the regime remains intact.
- Gabbard declined in open session to answer whether the intelligence community had warned the administration in advance that Iran was likely to close the Strait of Hormuz or launch retaliatory strikes against neighboring oil‑producing Gulf states.
- She reaffirmed prior intelligence assessments that U.S. June airstrikes had obliterated Iran’s nuclear program, but said it is the president’s responsibility to decide what constitutes an “imminent” threat, effectively sidestepping the core dispute raised by Joe Kent’s resignation.
- Gabbard refused to answer in public whether Russia is providing Iran with intelligence support, saying that topic belonged in the classified portion of the hearing.
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe directly rejected former NCTC Director Joe Kent’s claim that Iran posed “no imminent threat,” asserting Iran had been a constant threat and “posed an immediate threat at this time.”
1:05 PM
WATCH LIVE: Gabbard, Ratcliffe and Patel testify on worldwide threats in Senate Intelligence hearing
New information:
- Confirms the Wednesday Senate session is the annual worldwide‑threats hearing, with a follow‑on House Intelligence hearing Thursday.
- Reports that outdated targeting data, said to have come from the Defense Intelligence Agency, likely led to a U.S. missile hitting an elementary school in Iran and killing over 165 people.
- Notes the White House says the school strike remains under investigation.
- Adds that Gabbard publicly stated in a social media post that it is up to President Trump to decide whether Iran posed a threat, without stating her own view.
- Highlights that Kash Patel has fired dozens of FBI agents in his first year as director, sparking concern about loss of national‑security experience as terrorism threats rise.
- Mentions Patel’s first Hill appearance comes after video surfaced of him partying with members of the U.S. men’s hockey team following their Olympic gold medal, a clip that has fueled questions about his leadership style.
1:01 PM
Senate to question Trump intel leaders on Iran war after top official quits in protest
New information:
- Confirms the full roster of officials scheduled to testify: DNI Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, NSA chief Lt. Gen. William Hartman, and DIA Director Lt. Gen. James Adams.
- Provides Joe Kent’s resignation quote in fuller form, including his explicit claim that the U.S. started the Iran war 'due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.'
- Includes Tulsi Gabbard’s public defense of Trump’s decision, emphasizing that after reviewing all intelligence he concluded Iran posed an 'imminent threat' and that she frames her role as coordinating information to support that decision.
- Details the leadership and partisan split on the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, naming Chair Sen. Tom Cotton and ranking member Sen. Mark Warner and quoting Warner’s view that Iran posed no imminent threat to America.
- Quotes Cotton saying he expects the war to last 'weeks, not days' and referencing 'hundreds, if not thousands, of strikes into Iran' every day, sharpening the picture of the war’s projected duration and intensity.
10:00 AM
Top intelligence officials to testify to Senate panel as Iran war escalates
New information:
- Confirms line-up and timing for the Senate Intelligence Committee 'worldwide threats' hearing: 10 a.m. Wednesday, with DNI Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, NSA chief Lt. Gen. William Hartman and DIA Director Lt. Gen. James Adams testifying.
- Publishes detailed excerpts from National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent’s resignation letter, in which he says Iran posed 'no imminent threat' and claims the war was started due to 'pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.'
- Reports Kent’s allegation that a 'misinformation campaign' by high-ranking Israeli officials and some media outlets 'deceived' Trump into believing an imminent Iranian threat existed and that a swift victory was possible.
- Adds Tulsi Gabbard’s public response on X asserting that the president is responsible for determining what constitutes an imminent threat and that Trump concluded the 'terrorist Islamist regime in Iran' posed such a threat after reviewing the intelligence.
- Recaps the March 2025 U.S. intelligence community assessment stating it continued to assess that Iran was 'not building a nuclear weapon' and that Ali Khamenei had not reauthorized the program, though Iran had substantial missile, drone and regional strike capabilities.