Trump turns back on own intelligence chiefs after Senate briefing
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — US President Donald Trump undermined the heads of several intelligence agencies by telling them to "go back to school" following an annual briefing to the Senate Select Intelligence Committee.
"Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!" Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats briefed the Senate with the yearly 'Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community' on Tuesday.
"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..." tweeted Trump.
Trump's tantrum apparently centered on the assessment of Iran's nuclear capability.
"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," added Trump.
It is unclear how Trump obtained his information, if not from his own intelligence agencies.
"There [sic] economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran..." added Trump.
The report was slightly critical of Trump's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
"We continue to assess that Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities we judge necessary to produce a nuclear device," read the briefing.
The report did say Iran remains a threat to the region through its ballistic missile program.
Iran’s ballistic missile programs, which include the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the region, continue to pose a threat to countries across the Middle East," read the report.
The fiasco is the latest sign of separation between Trump, the Department of State, intelligence agencies, the Pentagon and military.
Trump publicly has expressed his disdain for long reports and it is not clear if he read the 72-page briefing endorsed by all US intelligence agencies.
"Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!" Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats briefed the Senate with the yearly 'Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community' on Tuesday.
Trump's only scheduled meeting on Wednesday was with Coats, a lifelong Republican and former senator. It is unclear if the two met. CNN reported that Trump, while watching the morning news of the testimony, lashed out and called Coats by name.
"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..." tweeted Trump.
Trump's tantrum apparently centered on the assessment of Iran's nuclear capability.
"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," added Trump.
It is unclear how Trump obtained his information, if not from his own intelligence agencies.
"There [sic] economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran..." added Trump.
The report was slightly critical of Trump's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
"We continue to assess that Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities we judge necessary to produce a nuclear device," read the briefing.
The report did say Iran remains a threat to the region through its ballistic missile program.
Iran’s ballistic missile programs, which include the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the region, continue to pose a threat to countries across the Middle East," read the report.
The fiasco is the latest sign of separation between Trump, the Department of State, intelligence agencies, the Pentagon and military.
Trump publicly has expressed his disdain for long reports and it is not clear if he read the 72-page briefing endorsed by all US intelligence agencies.