Trump and Hegseth Slam News Coverage of U.S. Intel Report on Iran Attack
Trump and Hegseth defend B-2 pilots’ actions amidst report reaction
President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have strongly criticised the media’s portrayal of a recent U.S. intelligence report concerning the recent airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. They claim that the report undermines the efforts of B-2 pilots who executed the mission and apparently suggested that the attack had limited effectiveness. Trump stated during a news conference in the Netherlands that the pilots are “devastated” by the suggestion that their actions didn’t achieve significant damage, going as far as saying that the implied minimisation of their success is deeply hurtful to those involved in the strikes.
Media portrayal of airstrikes sparks heated discussions
During the news conference, Trump faced repeated questions about the Defence Intelligence Agency’s initial assessment, which indicated that the airstrikes on the Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo facilities likely only set back Iran’s nuclear programme by a few months. He acknowledged the report but asserted it was lacking in detail and rushed. He reiterated that the pilots should be commended rather than criticised, claiming that the reports were damaging, as they attempted to degrade the perception of their mission’s success. Additionally, Trump insisted that the attack had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme, which sharply contrasted with the intelligence assessment.
Support for pilots amidst ongoing intelligence scrutiny
In a social media post later on, Trump announced a forthcoming conference led by Hegseth, aimed at supporting the good name of the pilots. Trump quoted one pilot’s remarks about the strike being executed precisely as planned. At the same time, military officials noted that while major damage was inflicted, a full battle damage assessment was yet to be completed due to the lack of onsite inspections. Meanwhile, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard defended the actions, commenting that the “propaganda media” is distorting facts for their narrative. Hegseth echoed these sentiments, claiming the real success of the mission wasn’t being accurately reported, describing the operation as historic.
