On Wednesday, President Donald Trump blasted various media outlets for publishing an internal analysis that showed that the U.S. raids on Iranian nuclear installations over the weekend did not totally eliminate the nation’s nuclear program.
Trump has stated on social media and in remarks to reporters that Iran’s three main nuclear facilities had been destroyed since he declared that the United States had attacked the country on Saturday. In a statement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, Trump claimed that the missiles had completely destroyed the area.
Everything above has been charred black if you compare the before and after photos. “Everything,” he continued, “the trees.”
According to a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment, the U.S. attacks likely only caused a months-long delay in the nuclear program rather than destroying it, as several outlets claimed on Tuesday. The assessment was initially reported by CNN, and Trump has mobilized against it, declaring on his social media network Truth Social that it is FAKE NEWS. In an effort to commemorate one of the most successful military strikes in history, CNN and the failing New York Times have joined forces.
Iran’s nuclear sites have been totally destroyed! The public is criticizing both CNN and the Times! Late Tuesday, he wrote.
During his NATO statements, he again attacked the media, saying CNN is scum. MSDNC is garbage. It’s garbage, the New York Times. They are evil individuals. They’re ill. Additionally, they have attempted to minimize this incredible triumph.
In response to a reporter’s question about whether the leak was accurate, Trump continued by saying that U.S. intelligence has been extremely evasive.
“We don’t know, it could have been very severe,” the intelligence says. According to intelligence, such is the case. That must be true, but I believe we can accept the unknown. It was really bad. Trump called it obliteration.
Trump: “There was very little conclusive intelligence. We don’t know, the intelligence says. It might have been quite serious. The intelligence claims that. So I suppose that’s right. However, I believe we can accept the unknown. It was really bad. Obliteration was the result.qhIff7mHVq pic.twitter.com/
Trump has called out the reporting, and other high-ranking officials have joined him. The information leak is treasonous, according to U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who told Fox News Tuesday night that any reporting that implies we failed to meet the goal is utterly absurd.
Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokeswoman, wrote on X: The fact that these nuclear plants have been totally destroyed is obvious to anyone.
Following the White House’s announcement on Thursday that the president will decide within the next two weeks whether the United States would launch military action, Trump approved the strikes on Iranian nuclear targets. Both Democrats and Republicans have blasted his action, which has caused his MAGA supporters to disagree on whether the US should get involved in a Middle East war. Trump said Iran gave advance notice and described the retaliatory strike on a U.S. military station in Qatar as a “very weak response.”
Trump declared a ceasefire between Iran and Israel late Monday, but it seemed to immediately fall through when he said that both nations had broken the deal. When Israel launched strikes on Iran earlier this month, saying it would not permit Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon, it set off the 12-day confrontation. Despite enriching amounts of uranium above what is needed for civilian use, Iran has persisted in asserting that its nuclear program is peaceful.
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