By Dayo Ade Olusola M10News| internstonal News Desk|21 June 2025
BEDMINSTER, N.J. — President Donald Trump on Friday issued a sharp rebuke of the U.S. intelligence community, asserting that Iran is far closer to developing a nuclear weapon than previously reported — possibly within “a matter of weeks.”
Speaking to reporters outside his golf club in New Jersey, the former president broke from recent testimony by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who told Congress in March that there was no current evidence Iran was building a bomb.
“Then my intelligence community is wrong,” Trump said bluntly when challenged by a reporter referencing Gabbard’s statements. “She’s wrong.”
Trump Suggests Imminent Decision on Military Action
Trump, who has returned to the center of U.S. foreign policy debates amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, said he is weighing a military strike on Iran within two weeks if the country does not step back from its nuclear program.
“We’re going to see what that period of time is, but I’m giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum,” he said.
He stopped short of calling for a ground invasion, stating, “The last thing you want to do is ground force.”
White House and Intel Chiefs at Odds
Gabbard, the nation’s top intelligence official, previously told lawmakers that Iran’s uranium enrichment — while alarming — did not amount to proof of a nuclear weapons program. Still, she acknowledged that the country’s uranium stockpiles had reached unprecedented levels for a non-nuclear state.
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Trump’s concerns, saying, “Iran has all that it needs to keep a nuclear weapon,” and added that “all they need is a decision from the Supreme Leader” to move forward.
Trump said on Friday that timeline could now be measured in weeks — or months at most — suggesting the window to act may be rapidly closing.
No Faith in Europe, No Calls to Netanyahu
Trump also cast doubt on ongoing diplomatic efforts between Iran and European powers, following a high-level meeting in Geneva on Friday between Iranian and EU officials.
“Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe,” Trump said. “We’ve been speaking to Iran, and we’ll see what happens.”
Asked whether he might urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the ongoing strikes against Iranian targets, Trump offered a noncommittal answer.
“It’s very hard to make that request right now,” he said. “If somebody is winning, it’s a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing.”
Earlier on Friday, Iran’s foreign minister publicly rejected any talk of a cease-fire.
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