Tulsi Gabbard Warns Iran Could Build Nuke ‘Within Weeks’
Former U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard now says Iran could produce a nuclear weapon “within weeks to months,” a significant shift from her earlier testimony before Congress in March, where she stated that Iran was not actively pursuing nuclear weapons.
Gabbard’s updated assessment follows public criticism from former President Donald Trump, who claimed she had been “wrong” and insisted that U.S. intelligence showed Iran possessed a “tremendous amount of material” and could be on the brink of nuclear capability “within months.”
Trump further warned that Tehran had just “two weeks” to come to the negotiating table before the U.S. would consider joining Israeli military strikes on Iranian nuclear targets.
Back in March, Gabbard testified that although Iran had amassed an unprecedented stockpile of enriched uranium—a material used in both nuclear energy and weapons—intelligence agencies had concluded that the country was not resuming its long-suspended nuclear weapons program.
She emphasized that while Iran’s uranium stock was large for a non-nuclear state, there was no evidence of active weaponization.
Following Trump’s recent remarks, Gabbard took to social media to revise her stance, stating that updated intelligence indicates Iran is “at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months.” She added: “President Trump has been clear that can’t happen, and I agree.”
She also shared the full video of her March testimony, claiming her earlier comments had been distorted by what she called “dishonest media.”
The shift comes amid rising tensions between Iran, Israel, and the U.S., especially after Israeli strikes on June 13 targeted what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as “the heart” of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
The strikes reportedly killed senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists and destroyed military installations. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel, resulting in 25 deaths.
Despite the escalation, Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and insists it has never sought to develop atomic weapons.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran was “absolutely ready” to reach a negotiated settlement with the U.S. but warned that meaningful talks are impossible while Iranian civilians remain under attack.
Tensions within Trump’s “America First” movement are growing over whether the U.S. should be drawn further into the conflict.
While some advisers push for restraint, others argue that decisive action is necessary to halt Iran’s potential nuclear breakthrough.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also voiced concern in recent weeks over Iran’s enriched uranium levels, noting that the stockpile has reached a level that poses a serious proliferation risk, even if it remains short of weapons-grade material.
Tulsi Gabbard Warns Iran Could Build Nuke ‘Within Weeks’