WASHINGTON – Officials from the Trump administration have informed sources that there’s an ongoing investigation focused on “low-level paper pushers” linked to a leaked Pentagon intelligence assessment. This report questioned the extent of the damage caused by US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend.
A report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), discussed by CNN on Tuesday, indicated that the recent attacks likely only set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions by a matter of months.
Details reveal that the DIA report was circulated on Sunday, just hours after a B-2 bomber dropped a significant bomb on the Fordow enrichment facility.
The document’s author noted it was created without input from other intelligence agencies.
The assessment was careful not to draw firm conclusions regarding the strike’s effect on the nuclear program, although it was still classified as “top secret.”
One administration official remarked, “It was based on initial information right after the strike, so a full evaluation wasn’t possible.” The official added that the assessment wasn’t coordinated with the broader intelligence community.
The leak has reportedly angered President Trump, who felt it played down the significance of the airstrikes. He urged Iran on Monday to agree to a ceasefire ending the conflict with Israel.
Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated on Tuesday that the US strike had indeed hindered Iran’s nuclear program “significantly.”
The FBI is leading a probe into the leak, while the Department of Justice is prepared to take serious action against the responsible individual if identified. Neither agency commented on the matter.
“The president has not been lenient with leaks, which is part of what made this operation successful,” a US official pointed out.
On Wednesday, following an annual NATO summit in The Hague, Trump labeled the media as “scum” for trying to downplay what he called an incredible military success.
The leaked official stated, “This person will be prosecuted.” Additionally, another source close to the administration mentioned various previous leaks have been scrutinized since Trump regained power in January, anticipating a thorough investigation.
It’s not clear how many officials will have access to the report before its details are publicly shared.
There are suspicions among executives that the leakers are motivated by anti-Trump sentiments, rather than acting as whistleblowers, particularly since CNN’s Natasha Bertrand was the first to report on this issue.
In a similar vein, Politico previously highlighted that in October 2020, 51 Intelligence Reporting Veterans had claimed Hunter Biden’s previously unclaimed laptop was a significant topic.
This situation allowed Biden to sidestep Trump’s controversial attacks on alleged corruption concerning China and Ukraine. Most mainstream media eventually supported reports of the laptop’s contents, but not until after Biden narrowly defeated Trump in that election.
