SAEDNEWS: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized media outlets questioning the effectiveness of America’s airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, branding the Pentagon’s leaked assessment as “fake news” and defending the operation as a historic military success.
According to Saed News,
A growing controversy has erupted in Washington following conflicting assessments of the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility. At the center of the storm is former President Donald Trump, who has publicly denounced media coverage that challenges the strategic success of the operation.
Reports citing a preliminary Pentagon analysis suggest the strike—touted by Trump as “one of the most successful military operations in American history”—may have only delayed Iran’s nuclear program by several months, rather than delivering a decisive blow. CNN and The New York Times were among the outlets that referenced a classified Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment indicating limited long-term impact.
In response, Trump launched a verbal assault on what he called “the fake news media,” accusing them of conspiring to discredit what he views as a landmark achievement in U.S. military history. “They want to bury one of the greatest missions we’ve ever accomplished,” he said in a post on Truth Social. “These are dishonest people trying to rewrite history because they hate success.”
The debate centers around the strategic calculus of the operation, which aimed to cripple Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities at Fordow—an underground facility known for its fortified structure and significance within Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
While the Pentagon has not officially commented on the leaked DIA findings, the internal assessment reportedly concludes that although the strike inflicted damage, it did not irreversibly disable the facility or significantly impede Iran’s capacity to rebuild its program.
The controversy has sparked a wider discussion in U.S. policy circles about the efficacy of military solutions to nuclear proliferation threats, as well as the political motivations behind how such actions are framed domestically. Whether Fordow proves to be a symbol of strength or a case study in strategic overstatement remains a contentious question in the post-strike fallout.
