Senators Divided on Impact of US Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Program Following Classified Briefing
- Rahaman Hadisur
- Jun 27
- 2 min read
Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff
H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA
Following a closely watched classified briefing on Capitol Hill Thursday, Democratic and Republican senators emerged with sharply contrasting views on the effectiveness of recent U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. While several Republicans claimed the operation significantly set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Democrats expressed skepticism, citing early intelligence assessments that the impact may have been limited.
The bipartisan briefing came days after the U.S. launched a series of strikes targeting three of Iran’s nuclear sites. According to seven individuals familiar with the initial intelligence report, the strikes damaged but did not destroy core elements of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, likely delaying its progress by only a few months. This assessment stands in stark contrast to President Donald Trump’s assertion that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s enrichment facilities.
“To me, it still appears that we have only set back the Iranian nuclear program by a handful of months,” said Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT). “There’s no doubt there was damage done to the program. But the allegations that we have obliterated their program just don’t seem to stand up to reason.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) echoed similar concerns, accusing the administration of lacking a coherent long-term strategy. “President Trump said that the nuclear stockpile was completely and totally obliterated. I did not receive an adequate answer to that question,” Schumer said. “There’s no endgame here.”
Top national security officials including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe conducted the briefing. A similar session is scheduled for House members on Friday.
While some Republicans echoed Trump’s language, others were more circumspect. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a staunch supporter of the strikes, stated confidently, “They were obliterated. Nobody can use them anytime soon.” Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the mission a “tremendous success” and claimed it would “protect the world from the risk of an Iranian nuclear weapon for years.”
Others adopted a more cautious tone. “I believe the goals of the mission were accomplished,” said Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). “But I don’t know if anyone can give you a precise number” on how long Iran’s program has been delayed.
The preliminary damage report was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) within 24 hours of the strikes. Officials stressed it was a “low-confidence” assessment, not yet vetted by the broader intelligence community, and that a final battle damage report could take weeks.
Democrats stressed the need for patience and clarity. “It is too early to actually fully grasp… what was exactly destroyed and how long it would take to reconstruct,” said Senator Chris Coons (D-DE). Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, warned against premature conclusions. “The president making a comment… before any assessment… does that provide a false sense of comfort to the American people or for that matter, the world?”
The deepening divide highlights not only the political tensions surrounding the strikes but also the broader uncertainty over how to interpret intelligence in a high-stakes international conflict. As assessments continue to emerge, both supporters and critics of the mission await definitive answers on what was achieved—and what comes next.
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