President Donald Trump is continuing to rip CNN and The New York Times for their reporting on the recent U.S. bombing of several Iranian nuclear sites, with the commander-in-chief saying both outlets “demean” America’s “great soldiers” by casting doubt on how effective the strikes were.
The president made his comment while speaking to reporters alongside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at around 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday. President Trump said the strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” resulted in a “great hit” and that “now it turns out it was an obliteration” of Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon.
“They — CNN mostly, and the New York Times, the fake New York Times — they demean these great soldiers. They went over there, 17 hours flying, and they hit bullseye after bullseye after bullseye. It all blew up, everybody saw it,” President Trump said. “Then they get back and CNN said, ‘Well, they did OK, but maybe it wasn’t’ — Let me tell ya, it was beyond obliteration.”
His comments come after CNN and the NYT both reported last week that the strikes only set Iran’s nuclear operation back by a few months. The Times’ story was based on a “preliminary classified U.S. report,” and CNN’s report was based on an “early U.S. intelligence assessment.”
President Trump was immediately upset with both reports, calling the outlets “scum” last week and threatening to sue over their coverage.
Other members of the Trump Administration have called those reports bogus as well, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who said U.S. intelligence shows the sites had been “destroyed.” Plus, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand should be “ashamed” of her coverage — though CNN has defended her work.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog, last Thursday said the strikes resulted in”enormous damage.” IAEA director Rafael Grossi added, “I think ‘annihilated’ is too much” to say until there is further inspection.
Reps for CNN and The New York Times did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment on the president’s latest criticism.
Meanwhile, President Trump said he will be welcoming the pilots of the “Midnight Hammer” bombers to the White House on the Fourth of July this Friday to celebrate their mission.
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