'Fire Natasha': Trump lashes out at CNN journalist for 'fake news' reporting on Iran's nuclear sites, calls on her to be immediately reprimanded
The President took aim at CNN and the New York Times for publishing stories on preliminary classified findings from the US Defense Intelligence Agency, which reportedly indicated the US strikes only set back Iran's nuclear program a few months.
CNN was the first news outlet to break the story on Tuesday which heavily contradicted Trump's previous statement claiming Iran's nuclear facilities were 'obliterated'.
He labelled NYT reporters "bad and sick people" for downplaying the US military's efforts, but he singled out CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand for her ''fake'' coverage on the topic.
Trump angrily took to his Truth Social platform to rubbish the media claims and called on Ms Bertrand to be "immediately reprimanded, then thrown out 'like a dog.'''
"I watched her for three days doing Fake News,' the President wrote.
'She should be immediately reprimanded, then thrown out 'like a dog.''
The President then put another article by Ms Bertrand under the microscope and accused her of lying and attempting to "destroy our patriot pilots" in a story titled "Early US intel assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy nuclear sites".
"It's people like her who destroyed the reputation of a once great Network," he wrote in a post.
"Her slant was so obviously negative, besides, she doesn't have what it takes to be an on camera correspondent, not even close. FIRE NATASHA!"
CNN released a statement disputing the President's allegations and stood by Ms Bertrand for her accurate reporting.
"We stand 100 per cent behind Natasha Bertrand's journalism and specifically her and her colleagues' reporting of the early intelligence assessment of the US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities," the network wrote in a statement.
'We do not believe it is reasonable to criticize CNN reporters for accurately reporting the existence of the assessment and accurately characterizing its findings, which are in the public interest."
The network also made clear its story was a preliminary finding that could change with additional intelligence and highlighted Trump's "own deep skepticism about it".
The White House addressed the CNN reports and labelled parts of the early defence agency report an 'inconclusive, low-confidence intelligence assessment' that was leaked to downplay Trump and those involved in the mission.
"Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000-pound bombs perfectly on their targets: Total Obliteration,' the White House said.
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Sydney Morning Herald
22 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Beef order appears to come with side of appeasement
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Anne Matheson, Gordon Bad gas … deal Chevron's exit from Barrow Island has left WA taxpayers with a $500 million clean-up bill – all because of a deal most people have never heard of (' Taxpayers face $500 million bill to clean up Chevron's WA oil field ', July 23). It turns out that once production stops, the company actually gets its gas royalties refunded. For years we were told gas would be a win for the economy. But now we're not just stuck with the environmental mess – we're literally paying the companies back after they've made their money. And this isn't some one-off blunder. It shows just how much influence the gas industry has had over governments for decades. These kinds of deals don't get made out in the open – and they certainly don't get made with public support. But they happen anyway because the industry has always been able to get what it wants. Barrow Island makes it clear: we've never really known what we're getting out of these gas projects. 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Sky News AU
22 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Douglas Murray praises Trump for pulling out of UNESCO
Author Douglas Murray has chimed in on the Trump administration's decision to pull the United States out of the UN cultural agency UNESCO. A US spokesperson has cited the UN's anti-American and anti-Israel leanings as the reason for departing. Mr Murray claims bodies such as UNESCO, UNRWA and the UN Human Rights Council do not represent or further the interests of the American taxpayer. 'Why exactly should the American taxpayer be funding them?' he said.
AU Financial Review
an hour ago
- AU Financial Review
Trump takes credit for lifting of beef ban, Coalition wants a review
The Trump administration has taken credit for Australia's decision to lift import bans on American beef, putting it at odds with the Albanese government which insists the decision is purely science-based. While the government accepted the decision to end the biosecurity ban would bolster its case for the US to drop or lower the tariffs it has imposed on Australia, Trade Minister Don Farrell and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the decision was the result of a departmental review which began long before US President Donald Trump was elected.
