Trump Administration Responds to Iran Nuclear Program Reports

President Trump and his top national security team have strongly contested claims that Iran’s nuclear program has only been active for a few months, pointing to the administration’s own assessments.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated that there is an ongoing investigation into the leak of a preliminary report, which the administration reviewed over the weekend. This report revisits earlier evaluations regarding three Iranian nuclear facilities, despite assertions that Trump’s implications span decades.

“Naturally, this information is designated for internal purposes, so we are working with the FBI to investigate any breaches, which will help evaluate the situation’s impact,” Hegseth told reporters during the NATO summit in the Netherlands. “News outlets like CNN are attempting to distort the facts to cast the President in a negative light, despite this being a significant success.”

Trump criticized media organizations—referring to CNN, the New York Times, and NBC as “scum.” He asserted that a recent U.S. strike using advanced munitions resulted in what he called the “complete erasure” of Iranian nuclear facilities.

The internal report revealed that attacks on three sites had only temporarily hindered Iran’s nuclear activities, contradicting earlier claims from Trump administration officials that the facilities were destroyed. Additionally, reports indicated that Iran had relocated much of its enriched uranium before the strikes took place.

“They really don’t have a firm grasp on this,” Trump remarked about the report. “Israel is keeping us informed right away. [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] has insight into those involved in this situation.”

Trump further claimed the strike effectively set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions by “decades,” likening it to the impact of the atomic bomb on Japan that ended World War II.

“This is an extraordinary achievement by our brilliant military pilots and experts, yet some in this room won’t give them the credit they deserve. And, frankly, CNN is just scum. MSDNC is scum. What they’re doing is trying to downplay this remarkable victory,” he added.

Meanwhile, other officials from the Trump administration are attempting to downplay reports regarding the strikes, although experts acknowledge it may take time to accurately assess the damage at the three targeted nuclear sites.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that he may have “mischaracterized” the extent of the damage during a discussion with Politico in the Netherlands.

Additionally, Steve Witkoff, the administration’s special envoy for Middle Eastern affairs, claimed he had disclosed an internal report on Fox News late on Tuesday.