Fact Check: Trump Claims Iran Didn't Move Its Enriched Uranium Stockpile Before US Attacks
What We Know
Former President Donald Trump stated that he believed Iran did not move its enriched uranium stockpile prior to U.S. military strikes on its nuclear facilities. He claimed, “Nothing was moved from the site,” referring specifically to the Fordo enrichment facility, which was one of the targets of the U.S. attacks (source-1). Trump suggested that the trucks seen near Fordo were involved in masonry work rather than uranium removal, asserting that “everything’s down there. It’s under millions of tons of rock” (source-1).
Contrarily, a U.S. intelligence report indicated that some of Iran's highly enriched uranium may have been moved out of various sites before the strikes and that the core components of Iran’s nuclear program were not completely destroyed (source-2). Additionally, experts have expressed concerns that Iran likely moved its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, although definitive intelligence on this matter was not confirmed by U.S. defense officials (source-3).
Analysis
Trump's assertion that Iran did not move its enriched uranium stockpile is partially supported by the lack of definitive intelligence confirming such movements. However, the context provided by various intelligence assessments suggests a more nuanced situation. While Trump claims that nothing was moved, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) reported that the strikes only set back Iran's nuclear program by months, indicating that some facilities and possibly uranium stockpiles remained intact (source-2).
Moreover, the DIA's preliminary assessment, although labeled as "low confidence," indicated that some enriched uranium may have been relocated before the strikes (source-2). This contradicts Trump's assertion and raises questions about the reliability of his claims.
The sources of information include statements from intelligence officials and analyses from credible news outlets, which provide a balanced view of the situation. However, Trump's statements were made in a politically charged context, which may introduce bias, as he often downplays threats from adversaries to bolster his administration's narrative.
Conclusion
The claim that Iran did not move its enriched uranium stockpile before U.S. attacks is Partially True. While there is no conclusive evidence confirming that Iran moved its stockpile, the intelligence assessments suggest that some uranium may have been relocated, and the core components of Iran's nuclear program were not entirely destroyed. Thus, Trump's assertion lacks full support from the available intelligence and expert analysis.
