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Chapter 1: What happened during the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Trump's war in Iran?
Wow, Donald Trump's top officials just collapsed under cross-examination during a United States Senate hearing regarding Trump's unlawful war in Iran. During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Donald Trump's Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and Donald Trump's Director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, were cross-examined about the justification for this unlawful war.
and whether they had briefed Donald Trump about the dangers of this war and that it could spiral out of control precisely what is happening right now. I want you to watch what took place at this Senate hearing. Democratic Senator John Ossoff, cross-examined Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Chapter 2: What were the main questions asked to Tulsi Gabbard during the hearing?
Watch how she responded. Play this clip. 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. That's a statement from the White House. Quote, the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime.
Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was an imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime? The intelligence community assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild and to continue to grow their nuclear enrichment capability.
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.
Chapter 3: How did John Ratcliffe respond to questions about Iran's nuclear threat?
This is the worldwide threat-searing where you present to Congress national intelligence, timely, objective, and independent of political considerations. 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.
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 based on a volume of information that he receives.
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.
Chapter 4: What did the intelligence community assess about Iran's nuclear capabilities?
That's a quote from your own opening statement. 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? Once again, Senator, the intelligence community has...
provided the inputs that make up this annual threat assessment. You won't answer the question. It is the nature of the imminent threat that the president has to make that determination based on a collection and volume of information and intelligence that he is provided with. You're here to be timely, objective, and independent of political considerations. Exactly what I'm doing.
Chapter 5: What issues arose regarding the president's briefings on national security?
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. Very pathetic indeed. Great cross-exam there by Democratic Senator John Ossoff. More cross-exam right here from John Ossoff. Let's play it. Correct? Yes.
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? That opening statement, as submitted to the committee in advance of this hearing, stated that as a result of last summer's airstrikes, quote, Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated, end quote, correct?
Chapter 6: What was discussed about the implications of the war on global oil prices?
That's right.
is that in fact the assessment of the intelligence community yes so the assessment of the intelligence community is that iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated by last summer's airstrikes yes in 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
The White House stated on March 1st. Next, you have Democratic Senator Kelly cross-examining John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, and Tulsi Gabbard. Here are their responses to his very basic questions. Let's play this clip. Or did he just disregard him? And I just want to point out something that was released about six days ago. This is a fundraising
email from the president, from the president of the United States.
Chapter 7: How did the hearing address the relationship between Russia and Iran?
And in this email here, where there's multiple links to donate money, it says, as a national security briefing member, you'll receive my private national security briefings. Director Gabbard or Director Radcliffe, do you think the public should be able to, supporters of the president should be able to pay and receive his private national security briefings?
I assume these are briefings, Director Radcliffe, that you provide to the president that is now going to be provided to somebody who makes a donation. Regardless of what that, I don't know what that document is, but regardless of what it says, it didn't happen. Well, no, this is new. But what I'm telling you is that the Hatch Act would prevent me in a political role from engaging in that.
I'm not aware that anything like that happened. Yeah, this says unfiltered updates. So, Director Gabbard, do you have any comment on whether unfiltered updates of private national security briefings should be made to individuals that donate to the president? I'm not familiar with that document and- It's been made very public six days ago.
Chapter 8: What conclusions can be drawn from the cross-examinations of Trump's officials?
We'll get you a copy here because I agree with you, Director Ratcliffe, that the Hatch Act should prohibit this type of conduct. Thank you. Senator Lankford. More from Senator Kelly right here. Let's play it. Okay. And is it accurate that China's continuing to receive preferential oil flows from Iran despite the conflict as Iran allows its own tankers to transit the strait?
Director Gabbard, I'm going to go back and forth between the two of you. There has been some reporting of China, India, and other countries being able to move their tankers through the Strait. However, it is unclear the volume or the measure of that. Okay, so it sounds like it's accurate. Thank you. I'm going to move on.
And here, Senator Kelly just wants to understand at a very basic level whether Donald Trump is even getting intelligence briefs at all. Do you even brief Donald Trump? Do you know what your role is at the CIA as the director of national intelligence? You're claiming that you don't give threat assessments and that you can't share whether or not your threat assessments are valid or not?
Are you sharing information with Donald Trump? Is he even asking you? Let's watch this clip. On Director Gabbard, you tweeted yesterday that President Trump concluded there was an imminent threat and made a decision to attack Iran after carefully reviewing all of the information before him. I think the country deserves to know what the information was.
I'm going to ask a series of questions and just want a yes or no. We don't need any explanation, just yes or no. Starting with, were you asked, I'm not asking if you did brief this, were you asked to brief on whether Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz? I'm not going to comment on what the president did or didn't ask me on any topic. I'm not even, I'm not asking if you briefed it.
I'm just asking if there was a request. I understand. By the White House. Director Ratcliffe. Were you asked to brief on whether Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz? The briefings to the president of the White House typically don't come at the request of the White House.
So typically when we get intelligence that we want the president to be aware of, the intelligence community brings that to the president. Did you produce the analysis for the Straits of Hormuz? There has been and continues to be analysis with respect to that. Were you asked to brief on how our adversaries and allies would respond to the war in Iran? I imagine I'll get the same answer.
So it's just to point out here, it's challenging to forget about actually what was in the brief for a second. We're having a hard time finding out not only if you briefed the president on something, but even if the White House asked if they could be briefed on something or if analysis was produced. So I just- And we have Senator Reid cross-examining Tulsi Gabbard. Let's play this clip.
Regime in Iran now trying to promote the deceased Ayatollah as a martyr who should be followed. And does that help them consolidate support Senator, the Iranians are certainly using that as a call to action. The effects of that from an intelligence standpoint remain to be seen. There is a tradition in Shia, though, to honor martyrs.
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