President Donald Trump of the United States claimed that the military actions he directed against Iran’s nuclear sites early on Sunday “totally destroyed” Iran’s ability to enrich uranium.
Following a preliminary classified US intelligence report that challenged that claim, Trump and his administration have reacted strongly against those who disclosed the document and the media that reported on it – dismissing its evaluation.
The confrontation involving Trump and the assessment from parts of his intelligence community persisted on Wednesday in The Hague. This occurred while the US president participated in the NATO summit, where he faced multiple inquiries regarding the leaked document.
However, this was just the most recent example of Trump openly contradicting the findings of US intelligence over his ten years in politics, whether it concerned Russia, North Korea, Venezuela, or Iran.
This is what the recent argument entails, along with Trump’s longstanding pattern of challenging intelligence evaluations.
What is the most recent conflict between Trump and US intelligence regarding?
On June 21, Israel launched strikes against Iran with support from the US. US military launched a series of missiles and bunker-buster bombs at three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Trump praised the effectiveness of the US strikes on Iran on several occasions. He announced during a televised speech from the White House after the attack that “Iran’s main nuclear enrichment sites have been entirely and utterly destroyed. ”
A secret initial report from the Pentagon’s intelligence division, known as the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), indicated a different perspective.
According to the DIA report, the US strikes had delayed Iran’s nuclear program by less than six months.
The report stated that according to the DIA’s evaluation, Iran had relocated its stock of enriched uranium prior to the attacks, a fact that Tehran has also asserted. Consequently, most of the material that Iran might potentially enrich into weapons-grade uranium remains intact.
The report from the DIA indicated that the attacks by the US had delayed Iran’s nuclear program by no more than six months.
According to the report, the DIA assessed that prior to the strikes, Iran had relocated its stockpile of enriched uranium, a statement that Tehran has also asserted. Consequently, most of the material that Iran could potentially convert into weapons-grade uranium remains intact.
On Tuesday, the intelligence report’s findings were dismissed by the White House. “This purported evaluation is completely incorrect and labeled as ‘top secret’,” stated White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, referring to the individual who disclosed the document as a “no-name in the intelligence community”.
The release of this supposed evaluation clearly aims to tarnish President Trump’s reputation and undermine the courageous fighter pilots who flawlessly carried out their mission to destroy Iran’s nuclear program. Leavitt continued, “It’s common knowledge that dropping fourteen 30,000-pound bombs directly on their targets results in complete destruction. ”
During the NATO summit in the Netherlands on Wednesday, Trump rejected the report, asserting that the US significantly weakened Iran’s nuclear abilities and disputing allegations that Tehran relocated its enriched uranium. Trump stated, “I think they weren’t able to retrieve anything because we moved quickly,” and he added, “it could have taken two weeks, perhaps, but removing that type of material is quite difficult. . . and very risky. ”
“Additionally, they were aware of our arrival,” Trump mentioned. “If they are aware of our arrival, they will not be in the underground areas of the nuclear plants. ”
On Wednesday, an article named Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Have Been Obliterated – and Suggestions Otherwise are Fake News was posted on the White House website.
In addition to Trump, the article references Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission, which stated that “the destructive US attack on Fordow obliterated the vital infrastructure of the site and made the enrichment facility nonfunctional. ” Among Iran’s three primary nuclear locations, Fordow is the most challenging for Israel’s missiles to access since it lies deeply hidden beneath a mountain, thus prompting Israel to persuade the US to target the site using bunker-buster bombs.
Furthermore, the article from the White House cites Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of national intelligence appointed by Trump, stating: “The operation was a remarkable success. ” Our missiles were accurately and precisely delivered, destroying essential Iranian capabilities required for the swift assembly of a nuclear weapon.
John Ratcliffe, who is the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), also went against the findings of the DIA report by stating that the US has significantly harmed Iran’s nuclear facilities.
On Wednesday, Ratcliffe stated on the CIA website: “The CIA confirms that credible intelligence shows Iran’s Nuclear Program has been significantly harmed by recent targeted strikes. ” This involves recent information from a source or method known for its historical reliability and accuracy, indicating that numerous important Iranian nuclear sites have been destroyed and will require years to reconstruct.
However, Trump’s history of questioning intelligence evaluations and lacking faith in the intelligence community goes well beyond Iran.
