3 days Ago
Allegations surfaced after an unauthorized report by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) was leaked that indicated Iran's nuclear test program had been delayed by just a few months. This undermines Trump's previous claim that the strikes had wiped out the program entirely. The leaked document, which was created shortly after the attacks, was released on Tuesday.
FBI Looking, No Evidence Yet
The FBI is investigating the leak. But no officials have pointed to a particular individual or offered any evidence that the leak had originated with Democrats or another political group. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, conceded that the source of the intelligence was unknown, saying: "It could have been someone in the Iran intelligence community, or it could have been someone on Capitol Hill who had access to this document."
"Oh we have taken steps to make sure this doesn't happen again because the president has made it clear that we will not tolerate this," she added."The FBI is also investigating it, and if someone is ensnared in this, they should be held accountable. Nevertheless, neither Trump nor the White House has put forward any hard evidence in the form of documentation to buttress their allegations against the Democrats.
Administration Disputes Report, Clamps Down on Briefings
The Control's leaked DIA assessment has ignited internal government debate, with officials saying Aleppo was well-targeted from the start. Pete Hegseth, speaking at a Pentagon briefing, chided media that he said was playing up a "preliminary" report. The White House has now said it will limit sharing of classified reports with lawmakers after the leak.
Trump's spat with the intelligence community follows drama in his first term, such as his fight against inquiries looking into purported links between his 2016 campaign and Russia. With his administration scrambling to frame the story about Iran, the fight over the leak is almost certain to go on.
Asked about Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments this week, Leavitt brushed them aside, saying that despotic governments need to "save face," and repeated the administration's line that Saturday's targeted strikes were "wildly successful."
