Trump’s Claims on Iran Airstrikes Questioned Amid New Intelligence Findings
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is facing renewed criticism after emerging intelligence appears to contradict his assertion that recent airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities dealt a devastating blow.
Though Trump praised the June 21 attacks as a military triumph, defense analysts and government officials are now suggesting that Iran may have preemptively safeguarded key nuclear assets, potentially reducing the mission’s impact.
The airstrikes, authorized by Trump during rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear advancements, were framed by him as a decisive blow. He declared that the targeted sites were “completely obliterated” and that the United States had delivered a powerful message.
However, Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, an expert on arms control, shared a more cautious perspective. In a conversation with The Independent, he noted that Iran may have had ample warning to deactivate equipment or remove critical components. “Fordow is a symbolic target,” Lewis said, “but it’s far from being the only site tied to Iran’s nuclear program.”
He further explained that delays in executing the mission may have allowed Iranian officials to power down centrifuges or relocate uranium stockpiles in anticipation of the strike.
A preliminary assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency, as reported by CNN, supports these concerns. The review indicates that Iran’s enriched uranium stores were not fully neutralized, and suggests that further action might be required to achieve complete strategic goals.
Trump, responding to the media coverage, criticized journalists for allegedly downplaying the success and questioned their patriotism. “Our military carried out a critical mission to dismantle the world’s leading state sponsor of terror,” he said in a public address. “The strikes were a complete success. Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been set back significantly.”
I have never seen a US President that was so weak and so scared about taking military action that he needed his yes-man entourage to keep him company at the podium in the Cross Hall. pic.twitter.com/mk1MRTc8D8
— Jake Broe (@RealJakeBroe) June 22, 2025
He emphasized that Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment sites were “totally destroyed” and warned that any future aggression would be met with stronger force.
Despite the confident rhetoric, many online observers were skeptical. Some commented on social media that Trump appeared visibly nervous during his statement, suggesting he was anticipating possible Iranian retaliation. “He looked like he was bracing for something worse,” one user wrote. Another posted: “He’s pretending this was a win, but deep down, even he knows it didn’t go as planned.”
Conclusion:
While former President Trump has celebrated the Iran airstrikes as a clear-cut victory, intelligence findings and expert opinions paint a more uncertain picture. If Iran did, in fact, relocate crucial nuclear components ahead of the attack, the mission’s effectiveness may be limited.
The public remains divided—some accepting Trump’s version of success, others viewing the operation as hasty and incomplete. As the situation unfolds, questions remain about what was truly achieved and how Iran may respond in the coming days.