President Donald Trump countered the narrative that CNN reported regarding Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment site, saying Israelis on the ground confirmed its “total obliteration.”
CNN reported Tuesday that the U.S. strikes on three nuclear facilities over the weekend “likely only set it back by months, according to an early U.S. intelligence assessment that was described by seven people briefed on it.”
“The assessment, which has not been previously reported, was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s intelligence arm. It is based on a battle damage assessment conducted by U.S. Central Command in the aftermath of the U.S. strikes, one of the sources said,” according to CNN.
Further, the outlet said, based on its unnamed sources, that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed and its centrifuges are largely intact.
CNN hedged by saying that the analysis is ongoing and “could change as more intelligence becomes available.”
Trump addressed the issue at the NATO summit taking place in The Hague, in the Netherlands.
“Israel is doing a report on it now, I understand. And I was told that they said it was total obliteration. You know they have guys that go in there after the hit, and they said it was total obliteration,” he told reporters.
🚨 Breaking: Trump reveals that Israeli agents entered Fordow after the US strike 👇
“Israel’s guys went in there [Fordow] after the hit, and they said it was total obliteration” pic.twitter.com/1UAahF1sfM
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) June 25, 2025
CNN’s Kaitan Collins asked Trump if he was relying on Israeli intelligence for his assessment of the impact of the strike.
“No,” Trump answered. “This is also Iran made the statement, and it’s also, if you read the [DIA] document that was given, that Pete [Hegseth] can talk about it you’d like, the document said it could be very severe damage, but they [CNN] didn’t take that. They [the intelligence analysts] said it could be limited or it could be very severe. They really didn’t know, other than to say it could be limited, or it could be very, very severe, and you didn’t choose to put that [in your story] because it was very early afterward.”
“Since then, we’ve collected additional intelligence, and we’ve also spoken to people who have seen the site — and the site is obliterated, and we think everything nuclear is down there. They didn’t take it out,” the president said.
He told Collins she should be commending the military for a job well done.
🚨NEW Trump HUMILIATES Fake News CNN Reporter Kaitlin Collins Again!
Trump: “Go ahead. Oh, fake news, CNN? Ayayai, here we go. Wait ’til you hear this question. You should REALLY say how great our soldiers and warriors are.”
Collins: “Are you relying on Israeli intelligence… pic.twitter.com/AanKhPOp1S
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) June 25, 2025
In a separate story Wednesday, CNN reported on Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission, concluding, “The devastating US strike on Fordo destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable. We assess that the American strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran’s military nuclear program, has set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years.
“The achievement can continue indefinitely if Iran does not get access to nuclear material,” the IAEC added.
Trump read the assessment to reporters.
President Trump reads Israel assessment on U.S. strikes: “The devastating U.S. strike on Fordow destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility totally inoperable.” pic.twitter.com/jgLkRoDUGU
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 25, 2025
He then said, “I just want to thank our pilots. You know they were maligned and … demeaned by fake news CNN.”
Additionally, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effi Defrin said Wednesday, “Now, I trust our intelligence analysts in the Intelligence Directorate and in the Air Force. I believe they have proven themselves to be accurate in recent weeks, and I can say here that the assessment is that we significantly damaged the nuclear program, and I can also say that we set it back by years, I repeat, years,” according to The Times of Israel.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said, “Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure,” Newsweek reported, based on a Wednesday interview he gave to Al Jazeera.
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