Despite inconclusive intelligence, Trump insisted U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites caused “obliteration” and ended the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump defended recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on Wednesday, calling the damage “obliteration” and likening the outcome to the end of World War Two. His remarks came despite intelligence reports suggesting only short-term setbacks to Iran’s nuclear program.
“The intelligence was… very inconclusive,” Trump said while meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “It was very severe. It was obliteration.”
Trump claimed the strikes ended the Israel-Iran war, comparing their impact to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He insisted Iran’s program had been set back “decades.”
Flanked by Secretaries Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio, both officials dismissed the Defense Intelligence Agency’s report as “preliminary” and “politically motivated.”
Trump and his allies also criticized the media’s portrayal of the operation, while the White House cited Israeli assessments claiming Iran’s program was delayed “many years.”
NATO states are expected to announce a commitment to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP.