Overview
- CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins asked Sen. Markwayne Mullin why the administration warns about Iran’s nuclear program if President Trump said last summer it was 'obliterated.'
- Mullin said Iran is 'rebuilding' the program despite past strikes, adding that reconstruction is possible even after severe damage and likening it to rebuilding from a foundation.
- He asserted Iran is not currently enriching in the way critics suggest yet maintained that visible efforts to restore capabilities warrant concern.
- Pressed on timing claims attributed to Steve Witkoff that Iran could be 'a week away,' Mullin acknowledged he had not seen those specific reports despite being read in on some programs.
- The interview followed reporting on a U.S. military buildup around Iran and discussion that strikes could be considered if diplomacy fails, which Collins cited to question the shifting public narrative.