If you were given a prediction three years ago that an event would occur in seven years' time, and due to unforeseen circumstances said event occurred today, it

If you were given a prediction three years ago that an event would occur in seven years' time, and due to unforeseen circumstances said event occurred today, it would have been four years ahead of schedule. Not seven. Forgive me if I'm uncomfortable that the Director of National Intelligence fails to understand a word problem that would make a fourth grader roll their eyes.