Rep. Mike Turner, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, voiced his concern that Iran might declare itself a nuclear weapons state by the end of the year. He attributed this possibility to the Biden administration’s policies, which he claims have allowed Iran to advance its nuclear program.
Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Turner cited news reports suggesting this could be a real outcome and warned that such an escalation is something the U.S. has long sought to prevent.
When asked whether Iran’s Supreme Leader had definitively decided to pursue nuclear weapons, Turner clarified that while no formal decision had been made, the Biden administration’s approach has created conditions that make such a declaration possible.
He pointed out that this development would likely not have occurred under a different administration, arguing that the current policies have enabled Iran to progress more quickly in its nuclear ambitions.
Turner also defended former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on Iran, in which Trump expressed a desire for a more conciliatory stance while ensuring that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.
Rep. Mike Turner
Turner emphasized that Trump’s “maximum pressure campaign” had placed significant strain on Iran economically and militarily. According to Turner, this approach kept Iran from advancing its nuclear program, and he contrasted it with the more permissive policies under the Biden administration.
In Turner’s view, the Biden administration’s failure to apply strong pressure on Iran has allowed the country to engage in more aggressive activities. He pointed to election interference, cyberattacks, and even an alleged plot against Trump as evidence of Iran’s emboldened stance.
Turner argued that the lack of a decisive U.S. response to these actions has given Iran more freedom to pursue both nuclear advancements and destabilizing activities in the region.
Finally, Turner discussed ongoing investigations into potential Iranian cyberattacks targeting the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns. He criticized the Biden administration for not holding Iran accountable for these hacking attempts and other hostile actions. Turner argued that this lack of accountability has only encouraged Iran to further meddle in U.S. affairs and increase the threats it poses to national security.
