Washington, D.C. – July 19, 2025
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has doubled down on his assertion that American airstrikes completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities, despite emerging reports that cast doubt on the extent of the damage.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that “all three nuclear sites in Iran were completely destroyed and/or OBLITERATED.” He further stated that Iran would need years to rebuild the facilities, suggesting they would be better off starting from scratch at new locations.
Background of the Strikes
The June 22 U.S. airstrikes targeted three major nuclear sites in Iran:
- Fordow Uranium Enrichment Facility (near Tehran)
- Isfahan Nuclear Research Center
- Natanz Nuclear Facility
The military campaign was launched alongside Israel’s coordinated strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure, marking a major escalation in efforts to curtail Iran’s controversial nuclear program.
Conflicting Reports Emerge
Despite Trump’s bold claims, NBC News and other U.S. media outlets report that intelligence assessments show a less decisive outcome. According to five current and former U.S. officials, only one of the three sites was deemed “mostly destroyed,” while the other two sustained damage but remained repairable and could resume uranium enrichment within months.
NBC also revealed that the Pentagon had proposed a more extended bombing campaign lasting several weeks to ensure crippling damage, but Trump rejected the plan, reportedly due to concerns about civilian casualties and regional escalation.
Iran’s Position
Tehran has maintained that its nuclear program is strictly civilian and peaceful, denying efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Iranian officials have yet to issue a detailed public statement addressing the conflicting reports.
