Tulsi Gabbard declines to say whether there was an ‘imminent nuclear threat’ posed by Iran: Live

The annual intelligence hearing on global threats has been adjourned.

Lawmakers will now receive a closed-door briefing on classified matters.

When asked whether the U.S. could defeat the Iranian regime with air power alone, Lt. Gen. James Adams, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said he did not want to speculate on what could be required.

“The capabilities that our Joint Force brings to bear can accomplish many missions to forecast exactly what can and can’t accomplish this goal. I’d prefer not to guess or prognosticate on that.”

Gabbard and Ratcliffe declined to tell lawmakers what information Trump was given about the risks of closing the Strait of Hormuz before he chose to conduct strikes on Iran.

“I’m not going to comment on what the president did or didn’t ask me on any topic,” Gabbard told Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat.

Kelly expressed frustration over the lack of details: “We’re having a hard time finding out if the White House even asked if they could be briefed on something

“As a National Security Briefing Member, you’ll receive my private national security briefings, unfiltered updates on the threats facing America,” the email said. “The straight truth on border invasions, foreign adversaries, deep state sabotage, and every danger the fake news hides.”

Both Gabbard and Ratcliffe declined to comment. Ratcliffe cited the Hatch Act as his reason for not responding.

When asked if intelligence community officials briefed Trump on the risks of going to war with Iran before he approved the strikes, Gabbard told lawmakers that some of those concerns were “communicated.”

“This has long been an assessment of the [intelligence community] that Iran would likely hold the Strait of Hormuz, as leverage that communicated to the president in the lead-up to this,” Gabbard said.

Ratcliffe said he had multiple meetings with Trump in the two weeks leading up to the president’s decision to strike Iran and that there was intelligence to indicate Iran planned an attack.

“Iran had specific plans to hit US interests in energy sites across the region, and that’s why the Department of War and the Department of State took measures for force protection and personnel protection,” Ratcliffe says

“Is there anything to indicate that Iran had ceased in its nuclear ambitions or in its desire to continue to build ballistic missiles capable of threatening American troops and allies in the Middle East?” Republican Senator John Cornyn asked.

“Senator, no,” Ratclife responded. “In fact, intelligence reflects the contrary. So with Mr. Kent, I do. I would think any fair-minded assessment of the situation, even based on open sources, would reflect the danger Iran poses the regime poses to the United States.”

“I was at Fulton County at the request of the president and to work with the FBI to observe this action that had long been awaited.”

CIA Director John Ratcliffe told lawmakers that they were “right” to be concerned about Iran developing longer-range ballistic missiles, but did not say whether the country was remotely close to building such weapons.

“Well, you’re right to be concerned about Iran’s development of longer-range ballistic missiles. If Iran were allowed to develop at the [Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile] ranges, which is 3000 kilometers, it would threaten most of Europe,” Ratcliffe said.

The CIA Director said Iran was “gaining experience” in developing the technology, but did not comment on whether assessments that it could occur in six months were correct.

“As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated,” Gabbard wrote in her opening statement to lawmakers, referencing the nuclear strikes that occurred last summer.

“There has been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability. The entrances to the underground facilities that were bombed have been buried and shuttered with cement,” Gabbard added.