President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Monday, expressing his disdain for what he calls “Fake News CNN,” particularly regarding the recovery of nuclear material from Iran. In his post, he also criticized “other corrupt media networks and platforms.” Referring to an operation called “Midnight Hammer,” he claimed it was a total destruction of Iran’s nuclear site, indicating that the recovery process would be arduous. He lamented that outlets like CNN fail to honor the efforts of U.S. aviators, whom he described as “LOSERS!!!”
On CNN’s program, Anderson Cooper engaged national security analyst Alex Pristas and former assistant secretary of defense for nuclear issues, Andrew Weber, discussing the likelihood of the U.S. removing Iran’s highly enriched uranium. This came on the heels of a report that some uranium might still remain after a recent operation.
Weber spoke about an earlier mission in the 1990s where he focused on retrieving enriched uranium in Kazakhstan following the Soviet Union’s collapse. When asked about similar efforts in Iran, both Weber and Pristas agreed it would demand a far more complex and strenuous campaign.
Pristas mentioned the necessity of a substantial force to secure the area, and remarked on the ambiguity of the current situation. He noted, “The tunnels have been breached. It might be a long-term effort.” The conversation revealed that some information has already reached the media, and it’s clear that a larger operation could be underway. The president initially suggested prolonged surveillance while seeking a negotiated resolution.
In a separate segment, Weber indicated that recovering uranium in Iran might necessitate thousands of U.S. troops. He underscored the risks of engaging unilaterally in such a mission without a secure location: “Building a secure border in the middle of the country will likely require a considerable number of troops.” Additionally, General David Petraeus, a former CENTCOM commander, spoke to the dangers associated with such operations, warning of the potential for significant casualties.
Meanwhile, it is clear that this dynamic situation on the ground raises many questions about the practicalities of securing and retrieving nuclear materials.
