According to a report by vanguard on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, U.S. intelligence officials reported that Iran has not resumed its nuclear enrichment activities destroyed during last year’s joint U.S.-Israeli attacks, challenging a key justification cited by former President Donald Trump for the ongoing military operations.
Tulsi Gabbard, a Trump ally and current Director of National Intelligence, provided testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee regarding the impact of three weeks of conflict in the Middle East. She confirmed that Iran’s leadership remains largely intact despite the strikes.
Gabbard, referencing “Operation Midnight Hammer,” the U.S. attack in June 2025, stated in prepared remarks: “Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated, and there have been no efforts since then to rebuild it.” While she did not repeat this claim publicly during the hearing, she did not contradict it when questioned by senators, explaining she had not had time to read the full testimony aloud.
Trump had repeatedly defended the February 28, 2025 attack alongside Israel, citing an “imminent threat” from Iran. He claimed that, even after the June strikes, Tehran was only weeks away from obtaining a nuclear weapon, a conclusion not shared by the United Nations nuclear watchdog or other observers, who noted that Iran had been in negotiations with U.S. envoys at the time. CIA Director John Ratcliffe also testified that Iran showed no real intention to advance its nuclear program while talks were ongoing.
The report also highlighted internal dissent within the U.S. administration. Joseph Kent, a senior aide and former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned, arguing that Iran posed no immediate threat and that Trump had been misled by Israel and certain media outlets. Democrats criticized the ongoing war, emphasizing that Iran had not demonstrated any new threats beyond those it has posed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Senator Michael Bennet remarked that the U.S. was being positioned as “the world’s policeman, jury, judge, and executioner,” in contrast to Trump’s campaign promise to avoid such global policing.
Despite sustained attacks including the assassination of long-time Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei the U.S. intelligence assessment indicated that Iran’s regime remains operational but weakened. Gabbard noted that if Iran survives, it is likely to embark on a prolonged effort to rebuild its military capabilities, including missiles and drones.
Gabbard also commented on global security concerns, including Russia’s continued upper hand in its war against Ukraine and China’s rapid military modernization aimed at Taiwan. She warned that escalation in Ukraine or other hotspots could increase the risk of nuclear conflict. Trump, meanwhile, is planning a delayed diplomatic trip to China in the coming weeks.
