The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle DNI Gabbard is grilled about intelligence leading up to the war with Iran
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Mar 19, 2026 
Tim O'Brien, Bloomberg political analyst; Abby Livingston, Capitol Hill reporter; David Rhode, national security reporter; and Ali Velshi, chief correspondent, dissect intelligence questions around strikes on Iran. They spar over whether leadership survived, Washington’s decision-making, economic fallout and energy risks, and a contentious DHS confirmation hearing. Short, sharp conversation on strategy, politics and consequences.
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Unitary Executive Undermines Intelligence Expertise
- Panelists said the DNI deferring "imminent" determinations to the president reflects a unitary executive trend undermining expert, apolitical intelligence analysis.
- David Rhode called this erosion of independent expertise a rapid reversal of post-Watergate safeguards.
Targeted Killings Close Diplomatic Doors
- Striking Iran's leadership removes potential interlocutors like Ali Larijani, narrowing future diplomatic options while not collapsing the 93-million-person state.
- Killing moderates hardened Iran's politics and reduces U.S. ability to negotiate later.
Ad-Hoc Strategy Raises Military And Economic Risks
- Panelists argued the Trump administration acted without coherent Iran strategy, reacting to an Israeli opportunity and then improvising goals from regime change to seizing uranium.
- That ad-hoc approach increases risks to U.S. troops, global energy and the administration's political clock.