CIA says Trump strikes will set back Iran's nuke programme by YEARS as White House calls for leaker to be JAILED
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BUNKER BUSTED CIA says Trump strikes will set back Iran's nuke programme by YEARS as White House calls for leaker to be JAILED
THE CIA says Donald Trump's weekend blitz on Iran has left key nuclear sites 'destroyed' – in a devastating blow that will take 'years' to recover from.
In a bombshell statement, the Agency's director John Ratcliffe confirmed 'several key Iranian nuclear facilities' were wiped out and must be completely rebuilt.
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CIA Director John Ratcliffe pictured on March 25
Credit: Reuters
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Craters on a ridge at the Fordow plant after US strikes
Credit: EPA
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US President Donald Trump during a press conference after the NATO summit at the World Forum The Hague
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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CIA chief Ratcliffe released this statement on his profile on X
Credit: X
'The CIA can confirm that a body of credible intelligence indicates Iran's Nuclear Program has been severely damaged by the recent, targeted strikes,' Ratcliffe said.
'This includes new intelligence from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.'
The chief added the CIA would 'provide updates to the American public' given the 'national importance' of the operation.
It comes after White House called for the arrest of whoever leaked a classified intelligence report on Iran's nuclear sites — as Donald Trump demanded CNN's Natasha Bertrand be fired 'like a dog.'
Speaking at a NATO summit press conference in The Hague, the president raged at 'fake news' outlets over reports suggesting US airstrikes failed to cripple Iran's nuke programme.
Trump insisted Tehran's labs were now 'totally inoperable,' citing intelligence from both Israel and Iran confirming the scale of the devastation.
The uproar followed reports from CNN, MSNBC, and The New York Times citing a leaked Defense Intelligence Agency memo that raised doubts over the extent of the damage — particularly at the Fordow nuclear site.
The report was based on just 24 hours of data.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the person responsible for leaking the classified Iran intelligence report should face jail time.
'They should go to jail,' she told Fox News' Ryan Schmelz when asked about potential punishment for the leaker.
Leavitt said the DIA memo had been 'discredited' by U.S. and Israeli officials — and even by Iran itself.
'CNN ran with a story they knew wasn't fully vetted,' Leavitt told Fox News, calling it a leak from 'someone with an agenda' and noting it came from 'the same reporter who once pushed the false Hunter Biden laptop narrative.'
She confirmed the FBI is investigating the leak and stressed that those responsible 'should be held accountable.'
Defending the strikes, Leavitt said: 'This operation achieved what decades of diplomacy and sanctions could not.'
Trump went on to slam the media outlets, saying: 'We had a tremendous success.
'And this is the New York Times. I call it the failing New York Times. It's going to hell. And CNN, which is, you know, very few people are watching, and you would think they'd do the opposite.
'So it's just fake news by CNN, which has got no ratings. It's a failed network,' he added.
The president didn't hold back, declaring: 'CNN is scum, the New York Times is scum, MSNBC is scum. They're bad people, they're sick. And what they've done is they want to turn this incredible victory into something less.'
Trump then unleashed on Bertrand in a furious Truth Social post: 'Natasha Bertrand should be FIRED from CNN! I watched her for three days doing Fake News…
'She should be IMMEDIATELY reprimanded, and then thrown out 'like a dog'...
'She lied on the Laptop from Hell Story, and now she lied on the Nuclear Sites Story… She should not be allowed to work at Fake News CNN... FIRE NATASHA!'
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