Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine's intelligence briefing with reporters Thursday morning was hailed by President Donald Trump, who continues to call out anti-Trump media for spinning narratives "with evil intentions."

"Fake news reporters from CNN & The New York Times should be fired, immediately!!!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. "Bad people with evil intentions!!!"

The Defense Department briefing came before the intelligence briefing with senators and laid out the details of the attack and the level of damage. Hegseth blasted the anti-Trump media for using a cherry-picked "low-confidence" assessment that the attack did not destroy Iran's nuclear facilities after being struck by B-2 bombers dropping 30,000-pound bunker busting bombs.

"There was a great deal of irresponsible reporting" based on a preliminary intelligence assessment, Hegseth noted, describing the reasons for the second briefing since Sunday morning. He criticized "biased leaks to biased publications."

"If you want to know what's going on at Fordo, you better go there and get a big shovel," he said.

Hegseth also rejected reports of vehicles seen via satellite having been around the sites before the bombings, which some speculated might have removed the enriched uranium nuclear fuel material.

"The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. "Nothing was taken out of facility. Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!"

Hegseth scolded the media for "breathlessly" focusing on an intelligence report he noted was preliminary and leaked strategically in attempt to tarnish Trump's military success.

Hegseth's in-their-face rebuke of the White House press corps drew praise from Trump in another social media post.

"One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming' news conferences I have ever seen!" Trump lauded on Truth Social. "The Fake News should fire everyone involved in this witch hunt, and apologize to our great warriors, and everyone else!"

Trump insisted the U.S. strikes delivered a "devastating" attack and that questioning his assessment of the strike was not only unpatriotic but also makes the pilots who dropped the bombs "very upset."

Hegseth criticized his former Fox News colleague, Jennifer Griffin, as "about the worst" and someone "who misrepresents the most intentionally what the president says."

Griffin, Fox's chief national security correspondent, said, "I take issue with that" and defended her reporting on the U.S. bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities.

Hegseth, a Fox News anchor before Trump appointed him Defense secretary, repeatedly criticized the media for its reporting on an initial assessment of the weekend's bombing that questioned how much damage was done to Iran's nuclear program.

Griffin had asked Hegseth about whether there was any certainty that highly enriched uranium was stored at the mountain bunker bombed by the U.S., given satellite photos that showed more than a dozen trucks were seen there two days in advance.

"Of course, we're watching every single aspect," Hegseth said. "But, Jennifer, you've been about the worst, the one who misrepresents the most intentionally what the president says."

Hegseth said he did not have any intelligence that Iran was able to move nuclear material.

"I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be — moved or otherwise," he said.

The news conference began with Hegseth criticizing the media for "hunting for scandals all the time" and accusing Trump-antagonist reporters of failing to acknowledge "historic moments" like improved military recruiting and increased spending on European defense by U.S. allies on the continent.

Information from The Associated Press was used to compile this report.

• Sec. Hegseth: Media 'Breathlessly' Used Early Report to Undermine Trump
• Trump: Rumor Heads Will Roll at NY Times, CNN Over 'Fake' Iran Stories