US Air Force pilots involved in the recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities will be among the honored guests at the White House’s Independence Day celebrations this Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Monday. The July 4 event will include a military flyover featuring B-2 Spirit bombers — the same aircraft used in the operation targeting uranium enrichment facilities at Fordo and Natanz earlier this month. “President Trump looks forward to celebrating our nation’s founding on Friday in the capital,” Leavitt said in a statement. “As part of the festivities, the power of America’s Air Force will be demonstrated in a flyover featuring F-22s, B-2s, and F-35s — the same aircraft used in the successful strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure”, reported CBS. Personnel from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, where the B-2 bombers are stationed, will also attend. Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks during the event. Trump had first mentioned plans to host the pilots during an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo last weekend. In the aftermath of the operation, Trump has pushed back against an initial Pentagon assessment that the strikes would delay Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months. Both Trump and defense secretary Pete Hegseth have claimed that the damage inflicted has set Iran’s program back by years — or even decades.
