President Donald Trump confirmed he would authorize additional military action against Iran if the nation continues developing its nuclear weapons program.
Speaking to reporters at the NATO summit, Trump gave a direct response when asked about potential future strikes.
“Sure,” the president replied when questioned whether the United States would strike again if Iran persisted with nuclear enrichment activities.
The president’s comments came amid controversy over leaked intelligence assessments regarding recent military operations against Iranian nuclear facilities.
The leaked assessment was reported by CNN and The New York Times, prompting harsh criticism from the president.
Trump launched a social media attack against both news organizations, posting from the Netherlands where he attended the NATO summit.
“FAKE NEWS CNN, TOGETHER WITH THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES, HAVE TEAMED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president posted his message at approximately 4 AM local Netherlands time during the international summit, the Daily Mail reported.
Trump characterized the news outlets as “scum” during his press conference remarks about their coverage of the leaked documents.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt supported the president’s position, dismissing the intelligence assessment.