Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calf.) clashed with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and other intelligence appointees about the definition of "imminent" when asking whether Iran was an "imminent threat" against the United States.
Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were asked whether they agreed with statements made in the Senate hearing on Wednesday, and if the president is the only person who can determine whether there is an "imminent threat."
"Senator, the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president," Gabbard answered.
Legal experts and national security analysts were quick to refute that reply, saying that it was categorically untrue.
As with Senators on Wednesday, Gomez questioned the specifics about the reasons for going into Iran. Gabbard's threat assessment claimed that Iran constituted no imminent threat. Trump has told the press Iran was "weeks" away from firing a nuclear weapon at the United States.
"Were they weeks away or not?" Gomez asked. The American people need to knowif this was an imminent threator not.None of this dodging.Were they in imminent threat? Yesterday, you said that the president is the only person who can determine what is an imminent threat. Do you stand by that statement?"
Gomez asked Gabbard again whether she stands behind that statement, and she said that she did. He asked Ratcliffe whether he did. Both dodged.
"It's a serious question that requires the totality of information—" Gabbard said.
"As commander in chief, he gets to make a decision on that threat. The intelligence community, the intelligence—" Ratcliffe said before he was cut off.
"I reclaim my time," Gomez shouted over them. "Reclaim my time. Reclaim my time. Why do you even have a job? Why do you even advise him? You are saying the president of the U.S. can say China is an imminent threat. No matter what the intelligence says. He can take his own actions. That is basically what you're saying."