US President Donald Trump on Tuesday repudiated Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's assessment that Iran has not been building a nuclear weapon, publicly contradicting his spy chief for the first time during his second term. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned early to Washington from the G7 summit in Canada, Trump was asked how close he believed Iran was to having a nuclear weapon. Iran denies developing nuclear weapons, saying its uranium enrichment programme was only for peaceful purposes. A source with access to US intelligence reports told Reuters that the assessment presented by Gabbard had not changed. Gabbard, a fierce Trump loyalist, has been among the president's backers who have aired such allegations.
