White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took direct aim at members of the press corps Thursday during a heated briefing, using the occasion to highlight what she described as the overwhelming success of Operation Midnight Hammer—the recent U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Leavitt's remarks followed an earlier news conference held by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who provided clarity after conflicting media reports surfaced about the mission’s effectiveness. Much of the confusion stemmed from a CNN report citing a “preliminary” intelligence assessment that cast doubt on the extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
. @PressSec "The objective of OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER was to destroy the regime’s nuclear enrichment capacity and stop the grave nuclear threat posed to the United States, Israel, and the rest of the free world.
The mission was an OVERWHELMING SUCCESS!" pic.twitter.com/wMh627jl4b
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) June 26, 2025
Leavitt opened her remarks by affirming Hegseth’s assessment, stating unequivocally that the targeted nuclear facilities—three of Iran’s major enrichment sites—had been rendered “inoperable.” She emphasized that the strikes dealt a significant blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reinforced the national security posture of the United States and its allies.
“The objective of Operation Midnight Hammer was to destroy the regime’s nuclear enrichment capacity and stop the grave nuclear threat posed to the United States, Israel, and the rest of the free world,” Leavitt declared. “The mission was an overwhelming success.”
. @PressSec "This was one of the most secretive and successful operations in United States history. I think many of you in this room would agree with that because
NONE OF YOU KNEW ABOUT THE STRIKE UNTIL IT TOOK PLACE!" pic.twitter.com/9kzeKOgNmk
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) June 26, 2025
She went further, commending the secrecy and precision of the operation. “This was one of the most secretive and successful operations in United States history,” she said. “I think many of you in this room would agree with that because none of you knew about the strike until it took place.”
Leavitt did not stop at lauding the Pentagon’s operational execution. She also took pointed aim at the media, singling out CNN’s Natasha Bertrand for what she characterized as a pattern of partisan reporting. Bertrand had cited early intelligence suggesting the Iranian facilities might not have been permanently disabled.
🚨WOW — @PressSec absolutely obliterates this Fake News CNN reporter after she leaked false intelligence about the strikes.
The reporter in question? Natasha Bertrand — a repeat offender when it comes to pushing disinformation:
- Claimed the Hunter Biden laptop story was… pic.twitter.com/jFYWkqdyUx
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 26, 2025
“This is a reporter who has been … used by people who dislike Donald Trump in this government to push fake and false narratives,” Leavitt said, referencing past controversies involving Bertrand’s reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop story. “She should be ashamed of herself. That is not what reporting is. Journalists are trained to find the facts and the truth.”
