Ossoff vs Gabbard ERUPTS At Senate Hearing: 'You're Evading The Question' | Iran War

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was an imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime?

[00:00:07]The intelligence community assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild and to continue to grow their nuclear enrichment capability.

[00:00:15]>> Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was a quote imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no? Senator, the only person who can determine and what is and is not an imminent threat is the president.

[00:00:28]>> False. This is the worldwide This is the worldwide threat hearing where you present to Congress national intelligence timely, objective, and independent of political considerations.

[00:00:37]You've stated today that the intelligence community's assessment is that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated and that quote there had been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability.

[00:00:50]Was it the intelligence community's assessment that nevertheless, despite this obliteration, there was a quote imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no? It is not the intelligence community's responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat. That is up to the president >> problem. No, it is It is precisely It is precisely your responsibility to determine what constitutes a threat to the United States. This is the worldwide threats hearing where, as you noted in your opening testimony, quote, you represent the IC's assessment of threats. You are here to represent the IC's assessment of threats. That's a quote from your own opening statement.

[00:01:36]And so, my question is, as you're here to present the IC's assessment of threats, was it the assessment of the intelligence community that, as the White House claimed on March 1st, there was a quote imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no?

[00:01:54]>> Once again, Senator, the intelligence community has uh provided the inputs that make up this annual threat assessment.

[00:02:02]>> You won't answer the question.

[00:02:04]>> of the imminent threat that the president has to make that determination based on a collection and volume >> You're here to be timely, you're here to be you're >> here to be timely, objective, and independent of political considerations.

[00:02:18]>> Exactly what I'm doing.

[00:02:19]No, you're evading a question because to provide a candid response to the committee would contradict a statement from the White House. The White House said this war was launched to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime. That is a direct quote from the White House dated March 1st of this year.

[00:02:39]Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia asked the Director of National Intelligence one question.

[00:02:46]Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was an imminent nuclear threat? Yes or no.

[00:02:52]Tulsi Gabbard gave four different answers across four attempts. None of them were yes or no. And then Ossoff said out loud what the evasion made obvious. You will not answer because a candid answer would contradict a statement from the White House. Here is the full exchange.

[00:03:09]Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you all for being here. Before I ask you a few questions, I want to call everyone's attention again to this fundraising email signed by the president that Senator Kelly mentioned earlier, in which the President of the United States invites his campaign donors to, quote, "Claim your spot. Claim your spot. Join now to receive private national security briefings."

[00:03:38]to his political donors featuring a photo of the president at a dignified transfer ceremony with a flag-draped coffin of an American service member killed in action returning to their family. And the American people need to know that the president of the United States is fundraising for his political campaign and his PAC using images of American service members killed in action and it's a disgrace.

[00:04:11]Now Director Gabbert, I'd like to reground this in your core responsibilities.

[00:04:17]Under the law, you are responsible for providing national intelligence to the president, correct?

[00:04:23]Yes. And to the heads of executive branch departments and agencies, yes?

[00:04:27]Yes. And to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and senior military commanders?

[00:04:32]Across the IC, yes. And to the Senate and the House and relevant committees, correct?

[00:04:37]>> Yes. And the law states that the national intelligence you provide to Congress, quote, should be timely, objective, and independent of political considerations, correct? Yes.

[00:04:47]And you noted in your opening statement you're here fulfilling a statutory responsibility and that your testimony, quote, represents the IC's assessment of threats, correct?

[00:04:57]>> And that opening statement as submitted to the committee in advance of this hearing stated that as a result of last summer's air strikes, quote, Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated, end quote, correct?

[00:05:10]That's right.

[00:05:11]And is that in fact the assessment of the intelligence community?

[00:05:14]>> Yes. So, the assessment of the intelligence community is that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated by last summer's air strikes.

[00:05:21]>> Yes.

[00:05:23]And the opening statement you submitted to the committee last night also stated, quote, there has been no effort since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability, end quote, correct? That's right. And that's the assessment of the intelligence community. Yes.

[00:05:37]The White House stated on March 1st of this year that this war was launched and was, quote, a military campaign to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, end quote.

[00:05:49]That's a statement from the White House.

[00:05:51]Quote, the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime.

[00:05:56]Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was an imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime?

[00:06:03]The intelligence community assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild and to continue to grow their nuclear enrichment capability.

[00:06:11]>> Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was a quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no? Senator, the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president >> False. This is the worldwide This is the worldwide threats hearing where you present to Congress national intelligence timely, objective, and independent of political considerations.

[00:06:33]You've stated today that the intelligence community's assessment is that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated and that quote, there had been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability.

[00:06:46]Was it the intelligence community's assessment that nevertheless despite this obliteration there was a quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no? It is not the intelligence community's responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat.

[00:07:02]>> Okay.

[00:07:02]>> Here's Here's the problem. No, it No, it is It is precisely It is precisely your responsibility to determine what constitutes a threat to the United States. This is the worldwide threats hearing where as you noted in your opening testimony, quote, you represent the IC's assessment of threats. You are here to represent the IC's assessment of threats. That's a quote from your own opening statement.

[00:07:33]And so my question is, as you're here to present the IC's assessment of threats was it the assessment of the intelligence community that as the White House claimed on March 1st, there was a quote imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime? Yes or no?

[00:07:50]>> Once again, Senator, the intelligence community has uh provided the inputs that make up this annual threat assessment.

[00:07:58]>> answer the question.

[00:08:00]>> of the imminent threat that the president has to make that determination based on a collection and volume >> You're here to be timely, objective, and independent >> here to be timely, objective, and independent of political considerations.

[00:08:14]>> Exactly what I'm doing.

[00:08:15]No, you're evading a question because to provide a candid response to the committee would contradict a statement from the White House. Let me ask you about your presence in Fulton County on January 28th of this year.

[00:08:32]You were present at the FBI's raid on the Fulton County Elections Office on January 28th, correct? I was present for part of the FBI exercising a warrant approved by a municipal judge. Yes, and the FBI was there executing The FBI was there executing that warrant to seize ballots and materials associated with the 2020 election, correct? Yes. And are you aware that members of this committee have already opened inquiries into your election-related activities?

[00:09:01]Yes. And are you aware that your general counsel and deputy general counsel have already provided testimony to this committee regarding those activities?

[00:09:09]Yes.

[00:09:10]On February 2nd, you sent a letter to Senator Warner regarding your presence at the raid. Was that letter accurate?

[00:09:16]Uh I don't recall the exact date, but if I sent a letter that had my signature, it was accurate. You stated in the letter that your presence at the raid was quote requested by the president, correct?

[00:09:26]>> Yes. When did the president request your presence at the raid? Uh the day of the raid uh the warrant execution commencing.

[00:09:35]The day of the raid? Yes.

[00:09:37]>> He called you the phone? I'm not going to disclose how the message was delivered, but it was a request from the president's administration to go and help oversee this warrant being executed along with the deputy director of the FBI >> Is it your role to oversee Is it your role to oversee the execution of criminal warrants? It is my role based on statute that Congress has passed to have oversight over election security to include counterintelligence >> said you you you oversaw the raid, correct? You just testified you oversaw the raid.

[00:10:09]Portions of it.

[00:10:10]>> Okay. Did you handle any ballots or election-related materials?

[00:10:13]>> No. You were inside an FBI evidence truck, correct?

[00:10:17]You were photographed inside an FBI evidence truck.

[00:10:19]>> empty truck, yes.

[00:10:22]The president stated, quote, you looked at his toes to start The senator's time is expired.

[00:10:27]>> Did you look at votes as the president stated?

[00:10:29]>> Senator Ossoff, your time has expired.

[00:10:31]>> respond to the question.

[00:10:32]No, she cannot respond because For the record, will will the will the director please respond for the record to that question is my I'm happy to respond to questions for the record. The law requires intelligence that is timely, objective, and independent of political considerations. Gabbert confirmed that on the record. Then declined four times to answer whether the IC assessed an imminent nuclear threat because either answer contradicts something. The Fulton County votes question was cut off. She agreed to respond for the record. That response is still pending. Subscribe now and turn on notifications because the record is still waiting.