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June 22, 2025

Rubio defends Iran bombing as leaked intelligence shows contradictions

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Leaked intelligence reveals messy reality behind official success claims

On Jun. 22, 2025, President Donald J. Trump ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, claiming “complete obliteration” before U.S. bomb damage assessments were completed (Joint Chiefs Chairman Caine acknowledged assessments were not finished).

According to Reuters (2025-06-15), Trump vetoed an Israeli proposal to assassinate Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, citing concerns it would “inflame the conflict and potentially destabilize the region.”

Multiple U.S. intelligence assessments (PBS Intelligence Assessment) concluded that Iran had not decided to build nuclear weapons and that Supreme Leader Khamenei had not authorized a weapons program since 2003—an assessment Senator Marco Rubio on CBS Face the Nation (6/22/2025) dismissed as “irrelevant.”

Reuters reported (6/22/2025) a senior Iranian source said most of the highly enriched uranium at Fordow was moved elsewhere before the strikes, and the IAEA reported no elevated radiation levels after the attacks (Reuters, 6/14/2025).

On CBS Face the Nation (6/22/2025), Senator Marco Rubio repeatedly interrupted host Margaret Brennan—saying “you don’t know what you’re talking about”—and asserted Israel’s surveillance sees every truck movement in Iran, a claim intelligence reports contradict.

🛡️National Security📜Constitutional Law🌍Foreign Policy📰Media Literacy

Test Your Knowledge

10
Q1

Rubio kept interrupting and talking over Margaret Brennan when she pressed him on U.S. intelligence assessments about Iran's nuclear intentions.

Q2

When Brennan asked if Iran had moved nuclear material before the strikes, Rubio claimed they couldn't have moved anything because "the minute a truck starts driving somewhere, the Israelis have seen it."

Q3

Israel presented Trump with a concrete plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, which Trump rejected because he wanted to avoid total war escalation.

Q4

What does it reveal when multiple administration officials use identical phrases like "spectacular success" and "devastating fashion"?

Q5

How does Rubio's claim about total Israeli surveillance ("the minute a truck starts driving") affect his credibility?

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People, bills, and sources

Donald J. Trump (President; authorized the strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and vetoed an Israeli assassination proposal)

Actor

Marco Rubio (U.S. Senator; defended the strikes on CBS, dismissed U.S. intelligence assessments, used intimidation tactics)

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Margaret Brennan (CBS Face the Nation host; pressed Rubio on conflicting intelligence reports)

Actor

Jim Himes

Jim Himes

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Defense Secretary Pat Hegseth (described the strikes as an “incredible and overwhelming success” hours after they occurred)

Actor

What you can do

1

Contact your members of Congress to request oversight hearings on the use of military force and to discuss the constitutional allocation of war powers under Article I, Section 8.

2

Track any resolutions or oversight measures on military action by visiting congress.gov and signing up for email alerts on relevant committees (e.g., Foreign Affairs, Armed Services).

3

Monitor official bomb damage and nuclear monitoring updates via the IAEA (iaea.org) and the Department of Defense press releases (defense.gov) to verify claims and stay informed.

4

Use trustworthy primary sources—such as transcripts on whitehouse.gov, reports on cia.gov, and statements on senate.gov—to compare official claims against the underlying evidence.