The White House claims Iran’s nukes are destroyed, but leaked intel tells a different story. On Thursday morning, President Donald Trump said his administration will set the record straight.
Plus, there is a significant upheaval at the CDC as the new vaccine panel conducts its session amid criticism.
Also, smoke filled the sky as an American Airlines jet was forced to turn back just minutes after takeoff.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, June 26, 2025.
Trump administration to hold briefing amid backlash over Iran strike impact
The Trump administration continues to defend both its bombs and pilots after a leaked report suggests U.S. strikes on Iran caused far less damage than claimed. On Thursday morning, June 26, the president said his administration will set the record straight.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other military officials will hold a press conference “to fight for the dignity of our great American pilots.” The president claimed that reports downplaying the damage were an insult to the B-2 pilots who carried out the strikes.
“Those pilots were so brave. I’ve never seen anything like it. They flew into the hornet’s nest, and then they got hurt so badly by what the fake news wrote,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, senators will meet with top national security officials Thursday for a classified briefing, as questions grow over whether the strikes were justified or effective. The Senate is also expected to vote this week on a resolution that would require congressional approval for any future strikes on Iran.
Both Democrats and some Republicans claimed Trump overstepped his authority by ordering the attacks without consulting Congress.
CIA director Jon Ratcliffe now says credible intelligence indicates Iran’s nuclear program was “severely damaged,” with several key sites “destroyed,” directly contradicting the leaked report from the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard echoed that on X, saying that if Iran rebuilds all three facilities, they would have to be rebuilt from scratch — a process that could take years.
Also on Wednesday, June 25, Trump announced that American and Iranian officials could meet next week, as the ceasefire between Israel and Iran — which he helped negotiate — still holds. But he added that because of the nuclear strikes, he’s not sure if talks are worth it.
“We may sign an agreement. I don’t know. To me, I don’t think it’s that necessary. I mean, they had a war. They fought. Now they’re going back to their world. I don’t care if I have an agreement or not. The only thing we’d be asking for is what we were asking for before about we want no nuclear. But we destroyed the nuclear,” Trump said.
Iran has not yet confirmed if any talks are actually scheduled for next week.
Hegseth orders more military buffer zones alone US-Mexico border
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the U.S. military to establish another buffer zone along the U.S.-Mexico border, bringing the total to four. These so-called “national defense areas” give U.S. service members limited authority to temporarily detain undocumented migrants who enter what are now considered extensions of military bases.
While troops can’t enforce immigration laws, they can detain trespassers, just like they would on any base, until border patrol takes over. The Air Force states that a 250-mile stretch of the Rio Grande in Texas will now be considered part of Joint Base San Antonio.
Another zone is being planned in western Arizona, linked to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, according to a U.S. official. However, the Marine Corps has not confirmed it yet.
Court clash over Abrego Garcia’s fate draws protest, judicial rebuke
A legal tug-of-war continues to unfold in a Tennessee courtroom over a man the U.S. mistakenly deported, then brought back and now may deport again.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was expected to be released this week. However, two federal agencies continue blaming each other, and two judges say the government has no excuse — one even calls it a crisis of its own making.
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys said that if he’s released, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will apprehend him again and deport him once more. He pleaded not guilty to human smuggling charges and maintains that the government is trying to justify a wrongful deportation.
Outside the courthouse, protesters gathered as Abrego Garcia’s wife told reporters how much he’s missed out on life since all of this started.
“It’s been a hundred and six days since he was abducted by the Trump administration and separated from our family. Over three months, we’ve had to stand and plead for his liberation,” she said. “And today, he misses our wedding anniversary.”
A judge will determine his fate in mid-July.
Childhood vaccine policies under review by controversial new panel
Day two of a controversial vaccine policy shakeup is underway Thursday morning, June 26, at the CDC in Atlanta. The new panel, selected by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is now reviewing long-standing immunization guidelines, including the childhood vaccine schedule and the hepatitis B shot for infants.
Pediatricians and public health groups warn about the new panel, claiming it promotes a harmful narrative and ignores decades of scientific evidence. Protesters gathered outside Wednesday’s meeting, June 25, voicing these concerns and calling the new process politicized and illegitimate.
Also on the table: recommendations for flu shots, RSV protection for infants and whether certain vaccines are still safe.
FAA investigates smoke, sparks in engine on American Airlines flight
Videos posted on social media show an American Airlines jet flying over Las Vegas with flames coming from one of its engines. Flight 1665 to Charlotte had just taken off when passengers heard a loud pop. Some described it as sounding like gunshots. Then, they saw sparks and smoke trailing from the left engine.
The Airbus A-321 looped back and landed safely at Harry Reid Airport ten minutes after takeoff.
No one was hurt, and the plane taxied to the gate alone. American Airlines claimed there was no actual fire, just a mechanical issue, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating.
Signs of life? NASA rover spots giant ‘spiderwebs’ on Mars
NASA’s Curiosity rover may have just detected the strongest signs of life on Mars so far. These are the first-ever close-up images of massive, web-like ridges on the red planet, stretching up to 12 miles across.
NASA calls them “box work” — patterns of crisscrossing mineral-rich rock that may have formed from ancient groundwater. The discovery could provide new clues about whether Mars once supported life.
Similar structures have been found on Earth — inside caves — formed in the same way stalagmites and stalactites grow. NASA says this could be a Martian version but on a much bigger scale.
