President Donald Trump is calling for legal consequences against those he says leaked sensitive intelligence related to the recent U.S. military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
In a post on Thursday on Truth Social, Trump accused Democrats of leaking internal assessments that downplayed the impact of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
It comes just days after the White House announced the mission had successfully “obliterated” Tehran’s program.
“The Democrats are the ones who leaked the information on the PERFECT FLIGHT to the Nuclear Sites in Iran,” Trump declared.
“They should be prosecuted!”
The accusation follows reporting from CNN and The New York Times that cited early intelligence suggesting the strikes, though significant, did not completely destroy the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites.
According to those outlets, the bombings may have delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions by only several months.
The Trump administration, however, has disputed that narrative.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday that the FBI is conducting a leak investigation into who provided classified information to media outlets.
“We’re doing a leak investigation with the FBI right now, because this information is for internal purposes, battle-damage assessments,” Hegseth said.
“And CNN and others are trying to spin it to make the president look bad when this is an overwhelming success.”
CIA Director and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have also pushed back on claims that the mission fell short.
According to administration officials, more recent assessments indicate that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were effectively destroyed by the precision strikes.
Still, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) criticized the operation during a briefing this week.
Schumer is claiming the Trump administration lacked a “coherent strategy” for preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“There is no plan, no strategic vision,” Schumer said.
“We need accountability and answers, including a war powers resolution.”
Earlier Thursday, President Trump blasted both CNN and The New York Times for their reporting, accusing them of relying on anonymous sources to undermine his administration.
“FAKE NEWS REPORTERS FROM CNN & THE NEW YORK TIMES SHOULD BE FIRED, IMMEDIATELY!!!” Trump wrote in a separate Truth Social post.
“BAD PEOPLE WITH EVIL INTENTIONS!!!”
He also suggested he may pursue a defamation lawsuit against both outlets, demanding retractions and public apologies.
So far, both CNN and The New York Times are standing by their reporting.
“No retraction is needed,” said New York Times lead newsroom attorney David McCraw.
“No apology will be forthcoming.
“We told the truth to the best of our ability.
“We will continue to do so.”
The White House also addressed a separate report from CNN over the weekend, which alleged that Democrat congressional leaders were not given advance notice of the Iran strike.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the report was inaccurate and prompted a correction.
The leak investigation remains ongoing, with administration officials warning that political and media efforts to downplay the mission’s success risk emboldening adversaries abroad.
READ MORE – Trump: CNN & MSNBC Are ‘Scum’ – ‘Gutless Losers’
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