WASHINGTON – Intelligence officials are questioning the accuracy of President Donald Trump’s recent statements about Iran’s missile capabilities, with three sources saying his claims lack backing from current U.S. intelligence assessments.
During his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday, Trump told lawmakers that Iran was “working on missiles that will soon reach” American soil, using this assertion as part of his argument for potential military strikes against the Middle Eastern nation.
However, intelligence sources indicate Trump’s timeline appears overstated. Two officials confirmed that current Defense Intelligence Agency projections remain unchanged from their unclassified 2025 report, which estimates Iran would need until 2035 to successfully create a “militarily viable intercontinental ballistic missile” using technology from their current space launch programs.
The discrepancy raises questions about the intelligence foundation supporting Trump’s public statements regarding Iran’s weapons development progress and potential military responses.
White House officials chose not to provide comment on the matter when contacted by reporters.
