During his first term, President Donald Trump frequently clashed with the intelligence community, particularly over the investigation into his campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. Now, a similar conflict is unfolding as Trump seeks to control the narrative around his high-stakes foreign policy move in Iran.
According to an initial U.S. intelligence assessment, recent American strikes on three Iranian sites have only delayed the country’s nuclear program by a few months. Trump has dismissed that finding, instead claiming the program has been “completely and fully obliterated.”
This disagreement shows no signs of easing. Senior administration officials are actively promoting Trump’s version of events, including a scheduled Pentagon press conference on Thursday. Meanwhile, lawmakers are set to receive briefings on Capitol Hill, though the White House intends to restrict access to classified information following the leak of the original intelligence assessment earlier this week.
