US President Donald Trump has made a new claim about the Iranian nuclear facilities targeted by the United States in 2025, saying the sites were also being used as “drug factories.”
Trump made the remarks Thursday night at a rally in Durant, Oklahoma, while recalling Operation Midnight Hammer, the US military operation that targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025. Until now, Trump had publicly described the targets primarily in connection with Iran’s nuclear program.
The new description has raised questions because publicly available accounts of the operation identify the targeted locations as nuclear facilities, and no evidence of drug production at those sites has been publicly presented.
What Trump Said
While describing the B-2 bombers involved in the 2025 operation, Trump said the aircraft dropped bombs through ventilation shafts into what he initially called “drug factories.”
He then repeated the characterization, saying the facilities were involved in both drugs and nuclear activities.
Trump did not identify what type of drugs he was referring to or provide evidence supporting the claim. He also did not explain whether he was referring to illegal narcotics, pharmaceutical products or another activity.
What Were the Iranian Sites?
The 2025 US operation targeted three major Iranian nuclear-related locations: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
Fordow is an underground uranium-enrichment facility, while Natanz is another major part of Iran's uranium-enrichment program. Isfahan has been associated with nuclear research, conversion and other parts of Iran's nuclear fuel cycle.
US officials publicly described Operation Midnight Hammer as a military operation against Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
Trump has repeatedly highlighted the operation when discussing US efforts to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Experts Question the New Claim
The new “drug factories” description has also surprised experts who study Iran's nuclear program.
James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told CNN that he was not aware of evidence that Fordow had been used for drug production.
Acton suggested one possible explanation could involve Iran's production of radiopharmaceuticals, which are legitimate medical products associated with nuclear technology. However, he noted that Fordow is an enrichment facility rather than a nuclear reactor, making that explanation difficult to apply to the specific facility Trump appeared to be describing.
He said a simple verbal mistake was another possible explanation.
Timing of the Remark
Trump's comments came after he had been discussing US efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking in the Caribbean and other military actions involving alleged drug-smuggling operations.
He then shifted to the 2025 US strikes on Iran and began describing the B-2 bombing mission before introducing the “drug factories” reference.
Because Trump did not stop to explain the change in subject, it remains unclear whether the wording was intentional or a verbal mistake.
White House Offers No Further Explanation
The White House was asked to clarify Trump's remarks but did not provide a detailed explanation.
Instead, an administration aide directed questions back to Trump's comments.
No new intelligence assessment or government evidence establishing that Fordow, Natanz or Isfahan were drug-production facilities has been publicly identified in the reporting available so far. Other accounts of Operation Midnight Hammer continue to describe the sites according to their roles in Iran's nuclear program.
Why the Claim Is Drawing Attention
The remark is significant because it adds a new description to Trump's account of the 2025 military operation.
Trump has previously portrayed the strikes as an effort to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities. His latest comments appear to connect the operation to his administration's broader focus on illegal drug trafficking.
However, without additional evidence or clarification from the administration, it is not possible to establish from the president's remarks alone what he meant by “drug factories.”
For now, the publicly documented record continues to identify Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan as key components of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, while Trump's new claim about drug production remains unexplained.
