Hegseth, Gabbard, CIA scramble after leaked intel challenge Donald Trump's Iran nuclear strike ‘obliteration' boast
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to address the media on Thursday in a high-stakes press conference aimed at countering growing scepticism about the effectiveness of last weekend's US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The move comes amid a fierce backlash sparked by leaked US intelligence documents that contradict President Donald Trump's bold claims of having 'obliterated' Tehran's nuclear infrastructure.
Pete Hegseth is expected to offer a "fresh assessment" of the bombings, which targeted three major Iranian atomic sites: Natanz, Fordow, and Esfahan.
The strikes followed escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, with both countries engaging in retaliatory military action since 13 June. US military said it dropped 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs – powerful 13,600kg (30,000lb) weapons – on three Iranian nuclear sites.
Pentagon's push for damage control comes after CNN first reported a classified Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment suggesting the strikes had only delayed Iran's nuclear programme by a few months, rather than years.
The leaked DIA assessment also found that much of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which would provide the fuel for making any future nuclear warhead, had been moved before the strikes and may have been moved to other secret nuclear sites maintained by Iran.
That conclusion, reportedly based on satellite imagery and intercepted communications, starkly contradicts the Donald Trump administration's initial declaration of a decisive blow.
His comment came amid growing scrutiny of a leaked DIA assessment suggesting that Iran's nuclear capabilities may only have been delayed by months, not destroyed outright.
The admission marked a rare moment of ambiguity from the US president, who is known for emphatic declarations on matters of national security.
However, just hours later, Donald Trump reversed course.
At a separate public appearance, he struck a far more confident tone, claiming, 'This was a devastating attack, and it knocked them for a loop.'
The sudden shift raised eyebrows in Washington, with critics accusing the administration of scrambling to maintain a narrative of total success. Behind the scenes, officials insisted that updated briefings and 'new intelligence' supported the president's renewed certainty.
Amid the mounting confusion, Donald Trump's cabinet have doubled down.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard posted on X (formerly Twitter): 'New intelligence confirms what President Trump has stated. Iran's nuclear facilities have been destroyed. If the Iranians chose to rebuild, they would have to rebuild all three facilities entirely, which would likely take years to do.'
CIA Director John Ratcliffe echoed Tulsi Gabbard's claim, stating: 'Several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.'
Ratcliffe said the assessment was based on information from a 'historically reliable' intelligence source.
Despite these public assertions, the internal rift within the US intelligence community appears to be deepening. According to The Washington Post and Associated Press, the White House now intends to limit the sharing of classified materials with Congress—an unprecedented move during an active overseas crisis.
On Wednesday, the White House pushed back on those claims, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt telling Fox News the US had 'no indication that that enriched uranium was moved prior to the strikes, as I also saw falsely reported'.
'As for what's on the ground right now, it's buried under miles and miles of rubble because of the success of these strikes on Saturday evening,' she said.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed the proposal:
'Senators deserve information, and the administration has a legal obligation to inform Congress precisely about what is happening right now abroad.'
The controversy intensified after it emerged that much of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile had likely been relocated before the US-led strikes.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it had lost 'visibility' of Iran's nuclear material after hostilities began.
In an interview with French television, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi offered a cautious clarification: 'I don't want to give the impression that it's been lost or hidden.'
As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prepares to face the press, the Biden–Trump-era divide over intelligence reliability, wartime transparency, and nuclear non-proliferation is once again in sharp focus.
With both global security and domestic political credibility on the line, Thursday's briefing may prove pivotal in shaping public perception of one of the most volatile military confrontations in recent US–Iran history.
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