President Donald Trump has accused Democrats of leaking classified information about U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The accusations came during a speech at the White House on Thursday, 27 June, where he also threatened legal action.
Trump referred to a recent U.S. operation known as Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted key Iranian sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. These airstrikes were carried out over the past weekend and were claimed to have severely damaged Iran’s nuclear program.
However, a leaked report from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) suggested the damage may not be as significant as originally stated. According to that report, the strikes may have delayed Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months rather than destroying it.
Furious over the report’s release, Trump posted on Truth Social: “The Democrats are the ones who leaked the information on the PERFECT FLIGHT to the Nuclear Sites in Iran. They should be prosecuted.”
The administration now plans to restrict how much classified information is shared with Congress. This decision has triggered strong criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who argue it limits necessary oversight.
Following a briefing to the Senate, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) accused Trump of misleading the public. “The president’s statements do not reflect the classified briefing we just received,” Murphy said. On the other hand, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) noted that while Iran has not been “obliterated,” it has been “weakened.”
The Financial Times, citing European intelligence, reported that Iran’s highly enriched uranium remains mostly intact. Most of it was stored at sites not targeted during the strikes.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded at a press conference, dismissing the leaked DIA assessment as premature and lacking full data. He cited CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who reportedly believes the Iranian nuclear program was seriously damaged and may take years to rebuild.
“No assessment is final,” Hegseth said. “We believe Iran has suffered a serious setback, and our intelligence supports that.”
The FBI has launched an investigation into the source of the leak. So far, no names have been released, and officials have not tied the leak to any political group. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that both Capitol Hill and the intelligence community had access to the document.
“It could have been someone in the intelligence community, or it could have been someone on Capitol Hill,” Leavitt said. “We don’t know, but the FBI is looking into it, and whoever did it must be held accountable.”
Trump’s harsh reaction has drawn criticism from members of Congress. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, dismissed Trump’s accusations.
“I’ve always said leaks should be prosecuted,” Warner said. “But I also wish the administration would take the same care with classified info and stop sharing it on apps like Signal.”
The Trump administration has long had a strained relationship with intelligence agencies, dating back to investigations into the 2016 election. This latest leak has reopened tensions between the executive branch and lawmakers over access to classified information.
As the situation continues to unfold, analysts say Trump is trying to shape the public view of the operation and defend its results. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have downplayed the impact of the strikes. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said the attacks had little effect and accused Trump of exaggeration.
While Washington remains divided, both sides agree on one point: any leak of sensitive national security information is a serious issue that demands full investigation.