Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has come under scrutiny following her March testimony to Congress, where she stated that Iran was not currently building a nuclear weapon. Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who served as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and briefly as President Trump’s national security adviser, defended Gabbard, claiming she was “set up” by elements within the intelligence community still loyal to past administrations. In an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson, Flynn argued that Gabbard, new to the role, relied on information provided by senior intelligence officials and was misled. “She’s only a few weeks into the job… she’s taken what the smartest people in our intel community say and presented it,” Flynn said, adding she needs time to assemble a trustworthy team.

In her testimony, Gabbard did acknowledge that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was “unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons” and warned of Iran’s continued support for regional terrorist groups. She later clarified on social media that her comments were taken out of context, stressing that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon “within weeks to months” if it chose to. President Trump publicly disagreed with her remarks, saying, “She’s wrong. My intelligence community is wrong.” Despite the controversy, Vice President JD Vance strongly defended Gabbard, calling her a “critical” and “essential” part of the administration’s national security team.