Rubio slams 'false' intelligence leaks downplaying success of Trump's Iran strikes

Secretary of State Marco Rubio connected Wednesday condemned reports alleging that the U.S. strikes connected Iran’s atomic facilities didn’t bash arsenic overmuch harm arsenic the Trump medication has said. 

In an interview with Politico astatine the NATO summit, Rubio refuted quality leaks that alleged minimal harm from the attacks, and deed media reports spreading those leaks.

"I would accidental that story’s a mendacious story, and it’s 1 that truly shouldn’t beryllium re-reported due to the fact that it doesn’t accurately bespeak what’s happening," helium told Politico White House bureau main Dasha Burns.

PENTAGON FLEXES US MILITARY'S DECOYS AND STRATEGIC DECEPTION THAT TOOK IRAN AND WORLD BY SURPRISE

Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed leaked reports of the US strikes connected Iranian atomic facilities with Politico's Dasha Burns connected Wednesday. (Screenshot/Politico)

The U.S. subject connected Saturday carried retired monolithic precision strikes connected 3 cardinal atomic sites successful Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, successful an effort to destruct the menace of the state manufacturing a atomic weapon. Long-range B-2 stealth bomber craft dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs connected the locations successful an onslaught that President Donald Trump called "a spectacular subject success."

Burns sparked Rubio’s reply by asking astir The New York Times and CNN reporting connected quality leaks that the strikes did not wholly destroy Iran's programme but whitethorn person lone delayed it a fewer months. Other experts person said the bombings indispensable person done important damage.

The Times report cited, published Tuesday, stated, "A preliminary classified U.S. study says the American bombing of 3 atomic sites successful Iran acceptable backmost the country’s atomic programme by lone a fewer months, according to officials acquainted with the findings."

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The U.S. subject struck 3 atomic sites successful Iran connected Saturday June 21, 2025. (Fox News)

"The strikes sealed disconnected the entrances to 2 of the facilities but did not illness their underground buildings, the officials said the aboriginal findings concluded," the study added. 

Trump has denied that reporting, calling it a "phony story" portion talking to the property astatine the NATO summit.

Rubio weighed in, telling Burns that the leaks featured successful the Times’ communicative don’t needfully bespeak reality, but are "often mischaracterized" and altered by someone’s spin.

"I tin besides archer you that quality leaks are 1 of the astir frustrating things anywhere, not conscionable due to the fact that you person idiosyncratic who has entree to this and is putting worldly retired there, but due to the fact that it’s truthful often mischaracterized," helium said. 

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"An quality report, for anyone who has ever seen it, sometimes is an assessment. Some expert volition marque an appraisal – oregon analysts volition marque an appraisal – and successful these leaks, what you typically person is idiosyncratic who reads it and past leaks it to the media, giving it the rotation and the space they privation it to have," Rubio continued.

He added that idiosyncratic mightiness leak the info for a assortment of reasons, including to "embarrass the administration," oregon due to the fact that they "were against the action."

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Rubio past affirmed that due to the fact that of the U.S. strikes successful Iran, the "Iranian programme – the atomic programme contiguous – looks thing similar it did conscionable a week ago. The programme contiguous has been acceptable down importantly from wherever it was a week ago."