Trump presses ‘obliteration’ in Iran strikes despite own team's doubts
4 Min Read
As Trump celebrates what he calls a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear program, internal assessments and satellite data suggest a more complex picture.
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US President Donald Trump departs, followed by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after speaking from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Saturday, June 21, 2025, after the US military struck three Iranian nuclear and military sites. (Pool via AP)
US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his claim that the recent American strike on Iran resulted in the complete destruction of its nuclear infrastructure, stressing that "obliteration" is an "accurate term" to use, a claim increasingly contradicted by members of his own administration, keeping in mind that Merriam Webster defines "obliterate" as: to remove from existence: destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump declared: “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” He pointed to what he described as direct hits on deeply buried facilities, emphasizing, “The white structure shown is deeply embedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame.”
Trump went further, stating that the most extensive destruction occurred at Iran's underground nuclear sites, ending the message with, “Bullseye!!!”
However, multiple US defense and intelligence officials have offered more measured assessments. While confirming that the strikes hit their intended targets, they cautioned that full evaluations of the damage are still underway and that Iran's nuclear infrastructure may not have been fully neutralized.
CENTCOM voices uncertainty despite US claims of total success
Following a high-profile US attack on Iran's nuclear infrastructure on Saturday, contradictory statements from American officials have raised questions about the true outcome of the operation.
While Trump has declared the strikes a sweeping success, the military's more cautious tone suggests otherwise.
The US president quickly framed the attack as a total strategic victory, proclaiming that Iran's nuclear sites had been "completely and totally obliterated."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced that message in a Pentagon briefing, stating that "Iran's nuclear facilities have been 'obliterated'" and later adding that the strikes had "devastated the Iranian nuclear program."
However, this confident political narrative was tempered by military restraint. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered a more measured assessment.
He confirmed that the three sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, sustained "severe damage and massive destruction," but carefully noted it was "too soon to say whether Iran still retains some nuclear capability."
Vice President JD Vance has likewise refused to confirm with certainty that the nuclear sites were completely destroyed.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Vance stated, "I feel very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon, and that was the goal of this attack."
However, he cautioned that he would not "get into sensitive intelligence,” and added, "We're not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program."
Conflicted victory
His refusal to echo Trump and Hegseth's use of the term "obliterated" highlights the uncertainty at the heart of the operation's aftermath.
Analysts have pointed out that the most sweeping claims "have not been independently confirmed," suggesting that the political leadership may be inflating the perception of success for strategic or domestic purposes.
The deployment of B-2 bombers and bunker-busting munitions was certainly designed to showcase overwhelming force, but military officials have stopped short of declaring total success.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials rejected the portrayal of decisive damage. They reported no radioactive leaks and reiterated that the country maintains the right to defend its sovereignty and technological advancement.
On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US and "Israel" of crossing a "very big red line" by launching coordinated attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, warning that Tehran will respond by “all means necessary.”
Read more: Iran: Minor damage to nuclear sites after US attack, no radiation
