CNN has issued a strong rebuttal following former President Donald Trump’s harsh remarks targeting the network’s national security correspondent, Natasha Bertrand. The criticism stems from her recent reporting on U.S. military involvement in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
On Wednesday, June 25, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, calling for Bertrand to be dismissed. He wrote:
“Natasha Bertrand should be FIRED from CNN! I watched her for three days doing Fake News. She should be IMMEDIATELY reprimanded, and then thrown out 'like a dog.'”
He further accused Bertrand of disseminating false information, referencing both her past reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop and her recent coverage of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities:
“She lied on the Laptop from Hell story, and now she lied on the Nuclear Sites story, attempting to destroy our Patriot Pilots by making them look bad when, in fact, they did a GREAT job and hit 'pay dirt' — TOTAL OBLITERATION!”
Trump’s comments followed a June 25 report by CNN that stated the recent U.S. military strikes in Iran had not fully destroyed the country’s nuclear capabilities, but instead only set the program back by several months. The report was based on preliminary intelligence assessments.
The former president also revived criticism of Bertrand’s 2020 Politico article, which suggested that the controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop could have been part of a Russian disinformation campaign.
In his latest comments, Trump went further, attacking Bertrand’s credibility and professionalism:
“It’s people like her who destroyed the reputation of a once-great network. 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 Defends Its Reporter
CNN promptly defended Bertrand and her work, stating that the network stood by her and her reporting. In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), CNN’s communications team said:
“We stand 100% behind Natasha Bertrand’s journalism and specifically her and her colleagues’ reporting on the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. CNN’s reporting made clear that this was an initial finding that could change with additional intelligence.”
The network added that it has consistently included Trump’s perspective in its coverage:
“We have extensively covered President Trump’s own deep skepticism about it. However, we do not believe it is reasonable to criticize CNN reporters for accurately reporting the existence of the assessment and its findings, which are in the public interest.”
Bertrand joined CNN in April 2021. Prior to that, she reported on national security and politics for Politico, The Atlantic, and Business Insider.
Trump Also Targets Anderson Cooper
Trump’s recent attacks were not limited to Bertrand. On June 23, he also took aim at CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, referring to him as “Allison Cooper” in another Truth Social post.
In the same post, Trump criticized media coverage of the U.S. strikes on Iran, accusing outlets of downplaying the success of the operation. He also attacked other media figures and executives, including Comcast Chairman Brian L. Roberts and ABC’s Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl, whom he called “Dumb Brian L. Roberts” and “Jonny Karl of ABC Fake News.
Source: usatoday.com
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