President Trump on Wednesday rebuked top U.S. intelligence leaders for being “extremely passive and naive” about Iran’s nuclear capabilities and suggested they “go back to school.”
“The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong!” Trump said in a series of tweets. “When I became President Iran was making trouble all over the Middle East, and beyond. Since ending the terrible Iran Nuclear Deal, they are MUCH different, but……..a source of potential danger and conflict. They are testing Rockets (last week) and more, and are coming very close to the edge. There economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran. Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!”
The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong! When I became President Iran was making trouble all over the Middle East, and beyond. Since ending the terrible Iran Nuclear Deal, they are MUCH different, but….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019
….a source of potential danger and conflict. They are testing Rockets (last week) and more, and are coming very close to the edge. There economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran. Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019
Trump delivered the criticism a day after testimony from top officials before the Senate Intelligence Committee, including Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, CIA Director Gina Haspel, and FBI Director Chrisotpher Wray. Coats told lawmakers U.S. intelligence doesn’t believe Iran is working to develop a nuclear device at this time.
But Coats noted Iran has signaled it could “push the boundaries” of the 2015 Iran deal, which put restraints on its nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling sanctions. Trump, who had called the agreement “the worst deal ever,” pulled out of the pact last year.
“While we do not believe Iran is currently undertaking activities we judge necessary to produce a nuclear device, Iranian officials have publicly threatened to push the boundaries of [the Iran nuclear deal] restrictions if Iran does not gain the tangible financial benefits it expected from the deal,” Coats said in his annual assessment.
Trump’s jabs at the American intelligence community drew backlash from top congressional Democrats. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., tweeted, “It’s deeply dangerous that the White House isn’t listening.”
Senate Intelligence Committee vice chairman Mark Warner of Virginia also weighed in on the issue and said that Trump “has a dangerous habit of undermining the intelligence community to fit his alternate reality.”
“People risk their lives for the intelligence he just tosses aside on Twitter,” Warner said.
