Tulsi Gabbard warned that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan are developing nuclear-capable missiles that could potentially reach the United States.
WASHINGTON: US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has identified Pakistan as one of several countries raising strategic concerns, warning that its advancing long-range missile capabilities could potentially place the American homeland within reach.
Presenting the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard also named Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea as nations developing new missile systems, including both nuclear and conventional payloads, that could target the US.
“The US secure nuclear deterrent continues to ensure safety in the homeland against strategic threats. However, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of advanced missile systems with nuclear and conventional capabilities that put our homeland within range,” she said.
Gabbard further noted that Pakistan’s ballistic missile program “could potentially include intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)” capable of reaching the United States.
She also cautioned that global missile threats are expected to increase significantly, with intelligence estimates suggesting that worldwide missile inventories could exceed 16,000 by 2035, compared to more than 3,000 at present.
She further noted that the countries mentioned in the report would likely study US missile defence strategies to better shape their own development programs and evaluate Washington’s deterrence posture.
Responding to the remarks, former Pakistani ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani dismissed the suggestion that Pakistan poses a direct missile threat to the American mainland.
In his statement, Jilani emphasized that Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine is focused on India and deterrence, not global power projection, adding that Islamabad’s strategic approach is rooted in regional security concerns.
Meanwhile, Turkish analyst Shaqeq-ud-Din questioned the assessment, arguing that Pakistan does not possess intercontinental ballistic missiles. He also raised concerns about India’s expanding ICBM capabilities, which he said are advancing with external support.
He described the classification of threats as selective, questioning whether similar scrutiny is being applied equally to all countries.
South Asia threat assessment
The threat assessment report stated that South Asia continues to present “enduring security challenges” for the United States, with relations between Pakistan and India remaining a key concern.
It noted that tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours carry the risk of nuclear escalation, citing past conflicts in which both countries came close to confrontation. The report also referenced the Pahalgam attack, which triggered heightened tensions between the two sides.
According to the report, intervention by former U.S. President Donald Trump helped de-escalate recent nuclear tensions. While both countries are not seeking open conflict, it warned that conditions still exist for terrorist groups to spark crises.
The report also pointed to ongoing tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, noting strained relations between Pakistan and the Taliban, with periodic cross-border clashes. It said Islamabad has grown increasingly concerned about the presence of anti-Pakistan militant groups in Afghanistan amid rising terrorist violence at home.
It further highlighted comments by Pakistan’s military leadership, stating that lasting peace depends on the Taliban severing ties with militants targeting Pakistan. Meanwhile, the Taliban has continued to call for dialogue while denying that it harbors such groups.
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