President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday night to denounce leaks from within his own administration, calling them “dirty dogs” and warning that they would face severe consequences. The criticism came amid a prolonged conflict with Iran, which Trump had said would end in six weeks but has now entered its seventh month.
Trump’s remarks followed a Washington Post editorial on the war and a Wall Street Journal report that revealed his former director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had advised against launching Operation Epic Fury on February 28. The president said the leaks had undermined his decision‑making and threatened to punish those involved.
A piece by journalist Marc Thiessen in the Washington Post praised Trump’s choice to halt the nuclear threat posed by Tehran, describing it as a courageous decision made in the face of internal opposition. Thiessen called the move the bravest foreign‑policy decision any president had made in his lifetime and said Trump would be rewarded by history, even if it hurt his political prospects.
The war has become unpopular domestically, with Reuters/Ipsos polling showing only 31 percent of Americans supporting it. Reports suggest that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persuaded Trump to launch the conflict, despite skepticism from advisers such as Vice President J.D. Vance, CIA Director Jim Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and General Dan Caine. The cost of the war has ballooned to an estimated $33 billion, pushed gas prices higher, and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has previously warned that leakers would be hunted down and that they would “pay a big price.” He also threatened long‑term jail sentences for those who spread what he called treasonous statements, echoing earlier remarks about alleged sabotage of his administration’s initiatives.
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