DNI Gabbard Says Iran Enrichment Halted as Trump Faces Decision on Ground Operation to Seize Missing Nuclear Material
DNI Tulsi Gabbard told the Senate Intelligence Committee that U.S. strikes last year “obliterated” Iran’s enrichment program and that there have been “no efforts” since June to rebuild it, while she repeatedly said judging an “imminent” threat is the president’s prerogative amid fallout from NCTC director Joe Kent’s resignation claiming Iran posed no imminent danger. President Trump is weighing whether to order a ground operation to seize roughly 400 kilograms (about 970 pounds) of missing highly enriched uranium—a move nuclear experts say likely cannot be done from the air and would require a sizable troop deployment, prompting bipartisan concern.
📌 Key Facts
- Senate Intelligence Committee held the annual 'worldwide threats' hearing at 10 a.m. Wednesday with top U.S. intelligence leaders testifying: DNI Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, NSA chief Lt. Gen. William Hartman and DIA Director Lt. Gen. James Adams; the session exposed partisan divisions (Chair Sen. Tom Cotton, ranking member Sen. Mark Warner).
- Former NCTC Director Joe Kent resigned and publicly argued Iran posed 'no imminent threat,' accusing Israeli officials and pro‑Israel pressure in the U.S. of misleading the administration — a charge Ratcliffe and others at the hearing directly rejected, with Ratcliffe calling Iran an 'immediate threat at this time.'
- Gabbard repeatedly said it is the president’s responsibility, not the intelligence community’s, to define what constitutes an 'imminent' threat; her prepared written testimony said Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was 'obliterated' in prior strikes and that there had been 'no efforts' since June 2025 to rebuild enrichment capability, while her oral answers and other reporting left some tension on whether the IC saw Iranian intent to rebuild.
- IAEA and U.S. estimates say roughly 400 kilograms (about 970 pounds) of highly enriched uranium from sites struck last June cannot be accounted for; nuclear experts and multiple reports say securing or destroying that material could not be done from the air alone and would likely require a sizable U.S. ground operation, complicated by bombing that buried stockpiles in rubble at a mountain facility.
- The White House has asserted Iran posed an 'imminent nuclear threat' but has offered no public evidence explaining what prompted last year’s strikes; CBS and others report President Trump 'hasn’t made up his mind' on whether to send U.S. forces into Iran to seize missing material while the Pentagon has prepared multiple options.
- Gabbard and other intelligence leaders portrayed U.S. and Israeli airstrikes as having 'vastly degraded' Iran’s military and obliterated parts of its nuclear infrastructure, but Gabbard said the Iranian regime 'appears to be intact' though 'largely degraded' and declined to answer certain classified questions in public (e.g., Russia’s role).
- Reporting highlighted serious operational and oversight concerns: officials say outdated targeting data (attributed to the DIA) likely caused a U.S. missile to hit an Iranian elementary school, killing over 165 people, and the strike remains under investigation; critics also flagged leadership changes at the FBI under Kash Patel and questions about institutional experience.
- Security analysts warn the U.S.–Israeli offensive in Iran has provided a 'narrative opening' exploited by foreign extremist groups, and link the conflict to a rise in U.S. domestic incidents being probed as terrorism; experts say reduced content moderation and AI‑driven radicalization are accelerating the threat environment.
📊 Relevant Data
Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity is estimated at 440.9 kilograms, which is technically close to weapons-grade (90% purity) and could potentially be used to produce material for several nuclear bombs if further enriched.
IAEA assumes Iran hasn't moved high enriched uranium stockpile — AInvest
In a March 2026 Quinnipiac University poll, 74% of American voters opposed sending U.S. ground troops into Iran, with opposition at 89% among Democrats, 79% among independents, and 53% among Republicans.
U.S. Military Action Against Iran: Over Half Of Voters Oppose It — Quinnipiac University Poll
Since 2014, U.S. military interventions in the Middle East, such as in Iraq and Syria against ISIS, have resulted in over 900 U.S. military fatalities and thousands of wounded, with operations often extending longer than initially planned and achieving mixed strategic successes.
Ranking Every Major U.S. Military Operation Since 1945, by Casualties — 24/7 Wall St.
Pro-Israel lobbying groups, including AIPAC and Christians United for Israel (CUFI), increased their political spending and influence on U.S. policy toward Iran in 2025-2026, with CUFI representing a fast-growing segment advocating for strong U.S. support of Israel's actions against Iran.
Diverse Israel Lobby Groups Influencing US Politics 2025 — DC Transparency
📰 Source Timeline (12)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 19, 2026
9:21 PM
Trump faces his most difficult Iran war decision: Will he deploy U.S. troops to seize uranium?
New information:
- Quantifies the enriched uranium of concern as approximately 970 pounds, consistent with but more specific than earlier references to about 400 kg.
- Reports that nuclear experts broadly believe securing or destroying this stockpile cannot be done from the air alone and would require a "sizable deployment" of U.S. troops inside Iran.
- Documents that U.S. bombing last June targeted a mountain facility where much of the stockpile is believed to be buried under rubble, complicating any recovery or neutralization plan.
- Shows bipartisan unease: Democrats like Blumenthal fear Trump’s war objectives inevitably require ground forces, while Republicans like Scott concede no one has explained a non‑ground option.
- Frames Trump’s decision on whether to deploy troops to seize the uranium as a potentially defining choice of his presidency, given his repeated vow to avoid long, bloody Middle East occupations.
10:55 AM
Hegseth and Caine holding briefing on Iran war
New information:
- At a separate Senate hearing, DNI Tulsi Gabbard stated that despite U.S. and Israeli strikes on senior Iranian leaders, Iran’s regime 'appears to be intact' though 'largely degraded.'
- Her latest characterization speaks to overall regime resilience, beyond the narrower enrichment capability questions highlighted in earlier coverage.
10:00 AM
Gabbard, intel chiefs to testify at second hearing on worldwide threats
New information:
- Gabbard’s prepared testimony said Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was 'obliterated' in last year’s strikes and that there have been 'no efforts' by Iran since June 2025 to rebuild its enrichment capability, and she later affirmed under questioning that this remains the intelligence community’s assessment.
- Gabbard initially skipped that passage when reading her opening statement at the Senate hearing; Sen. Mark Warner flagged the omission, and she claimed she was trying to save time.
- CBS, citing sources familiar with internal deliberations, reports that President Trump 'hasn’t made up his mind' on whether to send U.S. forces into Iran to seize missing nuclear material, even as the Pentagon has prepared multiple options.
- The article reiterates that after U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last summer, the IAEA said it could not account for about 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, a gap that would likely drive any such operation.
9:00 AM
As overseas terrorists regroup, is the Iran war increasing danger in the U.S.?
New information:
- Gabbard told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the U.S. now sees fewer signs of large, complex foreign Islamist plots and more efforts focused on individuals radicalized by propaganda, sometimes without direct ISIS or al‑Qaida contact.
- The article links the Iran war to recent U.S. incidents being probed as terrorism: an ISIS‑inspired attempted bombing at a protest outside the New York City mayor’s residence and a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia, plus a Detroit‑area synagogue attack labeled targeted violence.
- Security experts Michael Masters (Secure Community Network) and William Braniff (PERIL) say the U.S.–Israeli offensive in Iran has given foreign terrorist entities a 'narrative opening' they are exploiting, and warn that tech companies’ retreat from content moderation and growing use of AI are making online radicalization faster and more dangerous.
8:32 AM
War escalates, energy prices spike after Israeli strike on Iran gas field
New information:
- In addition to her earlier comments about who defines an 'imminent threat,' Tulsi Gabbard is now quoted in this CBS reporting as telling senators the Iranian regime 'appears to be intact' though 'largely degraded,' despite 'relentless' U.S.–Israeli attacks.
- This characterization, delivered at a Senate hearing, emphasizes that Washington’s stated aim of breaking the regime’s grip on power has not been achieved, even as military operations and regional escalation intensify.
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.