White House Disputes Report on Iran Nuclear Strike Impact

A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex, after the US struck the underground nuclear facility, near Qom, Iran June 22, 2025.

The White House has strongly rejected an intelligence assessment suggesting that recent US airstrikes failed to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme.

Over the weekend, the United States launched coordinated strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites. President Trump declared the mission a success, stating the attacks had “totally obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.

However, a preliminary assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency reportedly concluded that the strikes only set Iran’s programme back by a few months—far short of destroying it.

In response, the White House dismissed the report as “flat-out wrong” and accused unnamed officials of attempting to undermine the President. “This is a clear attempt to demean President Trump,” a senior official said.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, echoed the administration’s position. Speaking on television, he called the intelligence assessment “outrageous” and “treasonous,” urging a full investigation into the leak.

“There’s no doubt that all three sites were obliterated,” Witkoff said, claiming that 12 bunker-buster bombs were used to strike Iran’s Fordow facility. “It breached the canopy, and it was obliterated. Any suggestion otherwise is completely preposterous.”

President Trump later shared a clip of Witkoff’s remarks on Truth Social, reinforcing his administration’s stance.

Despite the confident assertions, there is still no independent verification of the extent of the damage caused by the strikes. The disagreement between the intelligence community and the White House highlights an ongoing rift over the success of the operation and the state of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure