Congress US Iran
CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrives for a briefing for Senators on Iran at a secure room in the basement of the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
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The U.S. government’s top intelligence official has told lawmakers that Iran’s regime “appears to be intact but largely degraded.” However, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, repeatedly dodged questions about whether President Donald Trump had been warned about the fallout from the weeks-old war, including Iran's attacks on Gulf nations and its effective closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz. Gabbard also stated in prepared remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee that U.S. attacks on Iran last year had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program and that there had been no effort since then to rebuild that capability. The statement was notable given Trump’s repeated assertions that a war with Iran was necessary.
