Donald Trump targets Democrats & media after Pentagon leak on Iran strikes, White House defends Operation Midnight Hammer
U.S. President Donald Trump has accused congressional Democrats of leaking classified details regarding recent American military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, 'The Democrats are the ones who leaked the information on the PERFECT FLIGHT to the Nuclear Sites in Iran. They should be prosecuted.' He did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
Trump also took aim at media coverage of the leak and called for journalists involved in the reporting to be fired.
Operation Midnight Hammer: What was leaked?
The controversy follows the leak of an early report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which questioned the impact of Operation Midnight Hammer. The DIA's preliminary assessment suggested that the strikes may not have significantly damaged Iran's nuclear program, contrary to initial claims from U.S. officials.
The operation, conducted over the weekend, involved B-2 bombers deploying over a dozen GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities. Tomahawk cruise missiles were also fired from a U.S. Navy submarine toward a third site in Isfahan.
The military action came after Israel's June 13 air campaign, which targeted Iranian scientists and facilities.
White House and Pentagon defend operation amid backlash
The leak angered both Trump and top defense officials, who dismissed the DIA's conclusions as premature. In response, the White House restricted classified information access to Congress—a decision that has triggered sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers.
During a Pentagon press briefing, senior adviser Pete Hegseth defended the strike. 'President Donald Trump created the conditions to end the war, decimating—choose your word—Iran's nuclear capabilities,' he said.
Hegseth criticized major news outlets including CNN and The New York Times, claiming the leak was used to discredit Trump's military decision: 'It was leaked because someone had an agenda to make it look like this historic strike wasn't successful.'
Karoline Leavitt criticizes CNN reporter
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also accused the media of distorting facts. Speaking at the briefing in a formal navy blazer and subtle gold jewelry, Leavitt described the Iran operation as 'one of the most successful in U.S. history.'
She specifically named CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand, alleging she was 'used by people who dislike Donald Trump in this government to push fake and false narratives.' CNN responded by standing behind Bertrand and her reporting.
Trump has continued to insist the strikes were a 'spectacular military success' that 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear capability.The fallout from the Pentagon leak has deepened political divisions, while the impact of the Iran strikes remains under scrutiny.
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