The White House has officially condemned a CNN report alleging Democratic leaders were not informed in advance of President Trump’s airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, dismissing the accusations as “fake news.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that phone notifications were made to leadership on both sides of the aisle, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and an attempt to reach House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. She emphasized that these were courtesy calls, and that providing more extensive briefings was not required under current legal authority.
Democratic officials, including Jeffries, countered that while they received calls, they lacked substantive briefings or rationale before the attacks unfolded, raising concerns about transparency and respect for constitutional oversight.
Leavitt further defended the administration’s actions, stating that President Trump acted within the scope of his constitutional powers and that any criticism from Democrats or media outlets was politically driven.