'Treasonous' — Trump, Witkoff slam intel leak undermining US strikes on Iran, insist nuclear targets 'obliterated'
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff condemned on June 24 the leak of an intelligence assessment that undercuts U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of having “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.
His remarks follow a leaked U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, reported by CNN, which found that strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, did not destroy the core of Tehran’s nuclear program. Instead, the intelligence suggests the attacks likely delayed Iran’s progress by “a few months.”
“It goes without saying that leaking that type of information, whatever the information, whatever side it comes out on, is outrageous. It’s treasonous,” Witkoff said during an appearance on Fox News. “It ought to be investigated, and whoever is responsible should be held accountable."
Witkoff, who served as Assistant to the U.S. president and led peace mission efforts during the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, defended Trump’s portrayal of the U.S.-led strikes as a decisive success.
“The objective was to eliminate enrichment in Iran… and he achieved that objective,” Witkoff said, adding that he personally reviewed damage assessments and saw “no doubt” that key nuclear infrastructure was destroyed.
The report leaked in media contradicts public statements from Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had described the operation as delivering “total obliteration.” Trump, for his part, stood by the claim on June 24. “Those targets were obliterated,” he said. “That place is demolished."
According to the DIA assessment, though the strikes damaged above-ground infrastructure, most of the centrifuges and the enriched uranium stockpile reportedly remain intact. The assessment also noted that underground sections of the sites, where Iran’s most sensitive work is done, were largely unaffected. Two officials told CNN that Iran likely retains operational nuclear facilities that were not targeted.
Witkoff dismissed the report as “preposterous,” insisting that the Isfahan conversion facility, critical to Iran’s ability to weaponize enriched uranium, was “completely destroyed” by a 30,000-pound bunker buster bomb.
“Without conversion, you can’t begin or end enrichment,” he said. “They cannot weaponize, even if they’ve enriched to 90%."
Witkoff also claimed successful targeting of Fordow and Natanz, saying the U.S. dropped more than a dozen bunker busters on the sites that made the facilities inoperable.
The White House acknowledged the assessment’s existence but strongly dismissed it. “This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration."
Trump, for his part, stood by his assessment of the mission’s success. “I think it’s been completely demolished,” he said on June 24. “Those pilots hit their targets. Those targets were obliterated, and the pilots should be given credit.” Asked if Iran could rebuild, Trump responded: “That place is under rock. That place is demolished."
While both Trump and Hegseth praised the strikes as decisive, others expressed caution. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said it was “way too early” to determine whether Iran retained nuclear capabilities.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova