A reporter brutally fact-checked one of President Donald Trump's favorite claims about one of his administration's bombing campaigns during a press conference in the White House on Thursday.
Trump held a ceremony for an executive order he signed banning states from enacting laws that regulate artificial intelligence technologies. After the bill signing, Trump took questions from the press. One reporter asked him about his administration's efforts to end the war in Gaza. Trump's answer weaved through his administration's bombing campaign against Iran, which he claimed "obliterated" the country's nuclear bomb production sites.
"We went in with this very plane right here," Trump said, pointing to a replica B-2 bomber made by Northrup Grumman that he keeps on his desk. "We flew over there and we, now I can use the word because it's been confirmed by the Atomic Energy Commission, obliterated their nuclear capability."
But his claim was immediately fact-checked.
"Your own National Security Strategy says it was not obliterated, sir," another reporter shot back.
"I say that," Trump replied.
"It says, 'Set them back,' sir," the reporter continued.
"Well, the Atomic Energy Commission says 'obliterated,' and the people who have seen the site say 'obliterated,'" Trump said.
The Trump administration was sharply criticized for its bombing campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities, although that criticism has been overshadowed by new developments in recent months. Trump has routinely claimed that the U.S. "obliterated" the three nuclear facilities struck in June, although differing accounts of the damage have emerged since.