A nuclear policy expert laughed off the Trump administration's claim that the U.S. completely "obliterated" Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities that could be turned into nuclear weapons.
After the U.S. military dropped a payload of ground penetrating bombs on Iran Saturday, President Donald Trump claimed, "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated," during his address to the nation. In a follow-up post to social media, Trump claimed again, "Obliteration is an accurate term!"
CNN's Kate Bolduan introduced a clip Tuesday of Vice President J.D. Vance continuing to say the U.S. "obliterated Iran's nuclear program."
"Obviously, we say, this is unknowable at this moment," Bolduan said, adding that Vance "deflected" when asked directly "whether the administration knows if they destroyed all the enriched uranium" and "where it is if not destroyed."
On the clip, Vance said, "Our goal was to bury the uranium, and I do think the uranium is buried. But our goal was to eliminate the enrichment and eliminate their ability to convert that enriched fuel into a nuclear weapon."
Bolduan then asked nuclear policy expert Jeffrey Lewis what the measure was to determine "whether or not the nuclear program was obliterated?"
Lewis laughed at her question.
"Yeah, none of that is true," Lewis scoffed.
"The reality is, is the Iranians had lots of time to move things. We watched them bring trucks to the site. They buried the entrances to protect the site. So, if they had wanted to move the material, they certainly could have."
Lewis continued, "And again, there are a number of underground facilities in Iran. Iran still has the ability to make centrifuges. You know, I think what you're seeing is the strike started and the administration wanted to get involved with it. And so they're putting, basically, lipstick on a pig, you know? They do not have the ability to go after all this material, and they are ultimately going to need the cooperation of the Iranians. They're going to need some kind of diplomatic process."