Dems Voice Frustration At Trump Admin Briefing On Iran Strikes: 'A Lot Of Propaganda'

Democrats continue voicing their frustration at briefings from the Trump administration on the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites, with many doubting whether they are being told the truth.

Several lawmakers spoke to Axios on Friday, being asked for anonymity to discuss their assessments candidly. One said they felt "like it was a lot of propaganda," while another called the briefing a "waste of time."

Rep. Jerry Nadler, on his end, said he learned "nothing of use," adding that the briefing focused on operational aspects of the strike, including "how many planes we used." He added that briefers told lawmakers that the strikes did "very significant damages" but focused on the fact that "there's a certain amount of 60% enriched uranium ... unaccounted for." "And that's the key, no matter what damage is done to the facilities," he added.

There has been intense speculation about the extent of the damage sustained by Fordow, one of Israel's main goal in its war with Iran and buried deep under a mountain, especially after an early Pentagon assessment reportedly claimed it had not been significant.

President Donald Trump was highly critical of the report, assuring that the damage was extensive. Israeli officials share the assessment, saying significant damage was caused to the sites.

Moreover, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said on Thursday that centrifuges at Fordow are "no longer operative" after the U.S. bombed it over the weekend. Speaking to French radio, Rafael Grossi said evaluating the damage sustained by the facility using satellite imagery alone is difficult, but due to the power of the bombs and the plant's technical characteristics, "we already know that these centrifuges are no longer operational."

Grossi went on to say that centrifuges require a high degree of precision and are vulnerable to intense vibrations. "There was no escaping significant physical damage," Grossi added. "So we can come to a fairly accurate technical conclusion."

There is also uncertainty about the fate of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile. Iranian officials claim they moved it to a secure location before the strikes, while Israeli and U.S. counterparts claim it has been buried under the rubble and Iran is attempting to retrieve it.