Trump'S Iran Missile Claims Lack Intelligence Support Evidence

On February 27, 2026, multiple sources reported that President Donald Trump's assertion regarding Iran's imminent missile capabilities is not substantiated by U.S. intelligence assessments. Following his State of the Union address on February 24, where he claimed that Iran was 'working on missiles that will soon reach' the United States, intelligence officials indicated that Iran is unlikely to develop a militarily viable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) until at least 2035. An unclassified 2025 assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency supports this timeline, stating that even with foreign assistance, such as from China or North Korea, Iran would still require significant time to achieve operational ICBM capability. As one source noted, 'even if China or North Korea provided technological assistance, Iran would probably take up to eight years at the earliest to produce something that is actually ICBM level and operational' (Straits Times).