Natasha Bertrand has previously reported on the contentious narrative surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop, referring to claims about it being “Russian misinformation.” This topic was heavily discussed in her 2020 piece for Politico titled “Hunter Biden Story is Russia’s fire, dozens of former Intel officials say,” which has resurfaced in connection with CNN.
This past Tuesday, CNN published information from Bertrand regarding U.S. intelligence’s assessment that an operation against Iran’s nuclear program did not eliminate its key components. The assessment suggested that any impact on Iran’s nuclear capabilities could be temporary.
Exclusive: The U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facility might have merely delayed progress for a few months, with core elements of the program still intact, early U.S. intelligence indicates. The White House has rejected this assessment as “completely wrong.” https://t.co/ymjnt8xfpo
– Natashabertrand (@natashabertrand) June 24, 2025
In response, the White House characterized these claims as misinformation, asserting that Iran’s nuclear facilities have not been left intact. They called for a proposal addressing this issue.
“We can confidently say that our assessments have consistently impeded Iran’s nuclear ambitions,” stated Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effy Deflin.
The press release from Israel echoed this sentiment, claiming that recent military actions have reduced Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons over time.
The White House shared this information with reporters, but the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission stated that essential infrastructure at the site had been rendered inoperative. pic.twitter.com/2ggugjomwro
– Barak Ravid (@barakravid) June 25th, 2025
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) remarked that the recent strikes have indeed taken a toll on Iran’s nuclear advancements.
“It’s evident that following the events of June 13th, there’s a shifted dynamic regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions,” IAEA director Rafael Grossi commented.
Both Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio contested the revised claims, noting significant setbacks in Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“Iran’s nuclear program is much further back than it was just a week ago, thanks to our actions today,” Rubio stated.
“It’s a false narrative.” Secretary of State @marcorubio dismissed media reports claiming Iran’s nuclear facilities weren’t entirely dismantled, asserting that Tehran is in a much more precarious position now. pic.twitter.com/gzi0feurwm
– Politico (@politico) June 25th, 2025
According to Hegseth, Bertrand’s article referenced the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), but CNN had initially omitted the DIA’s “low confidence” assessment. An archived version of CNN’s article from that Tuesday lacks any mention of this low confidence assessment.
Following Hegseth’s comments, CNN later modified their article to include this detail about confidence levels. During a press conference, Hegseth emphasized the implications of low confidence in intelligence findings.
He criticized CNN for perceived biases, suggesting their reporting aimed to undermine the accuracy of the Trump administration. Hegseth expressed that some motivations might stem from political agendas rather than objective reporting.
In the backdrop of this discussion lies the 2020 article contending that the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop revelations were a product of Russian disinformation. Subsequent examinations, including those by the Daily Caller in 2020 and confirmations from Hunter Biden’s lawyer in 2023, have cast doubt on that initial narrative.
Despite these validations, Bertrand’s original assertions in Politico persist without any corrections or added context.
