President Trump demands the firing of CNN’s Natasha Bertrand after her controversial reporting on Iran strikes, citing a history of bias that includes spreading “Fake News” on both the Hunter Biden laptop story and recent military operations.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump has called for CNN to fire correspondent Natasha Bertrand, accusing her of deliberately spreading misinformation that damaged U.S. military pilots’ reputation.
- Bertrand reported that U.S. intelligence assessed recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites only set back Tehran’s program by a few months, contradicting Trump’s claim of “total obliteration.”
- Trump referenced Bertrand’s history of questionable reporting, particularly her 2020 Politico story suggesting Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation.
- CNN has publicly defended Bertrand’s reporting despite growing criticism of her journalistic standards and apparent partisan bias.
Trump Calls for CNN Reporter’s Dismissal Over Iran Strike Coverage
President Trump has demanded that CNN fire correspondent Natasha Bertrand following her controversial reporting on recent U.S. military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. On his Truth Social platform, Trump directly called out Bertrand, claiming her reporting undermined American military achievements and spread false information to the public. The dispute centers on Bertrand’s report that U.S. intelligence found the strikes had only minimally impacted Iran’s nuclear capabilities, setting back the program by just a few months, rather than achieving the comprehensive destruction claimed by the administration.
“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’,” said Donald Trump.
President Trump didn’t mince words when addressing Bertrand’s reporting, making it clear that he believes her actions warrant immediate termination. In his social media posts, Trump emphasized that the preliminary classified U.S. report Bertrand cited was incomplete and criticized the unauthorized leak of the assessment. He maintained that the strikes had “totally destroyed” Iran’s nuclear sites, aligning with Israel’s assessment that the operations had caused significant delays to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
A Pattern of Questionable Reporting
The President’s criticism extends beyond this single incident, pointing to what he sees as a troubling pattern in Bertrand’s reporting history. Trump specifically referenced her role in dismissing the Hunter Biden laptop story during the 2020 election cycle, when Bertrand authored a Politico piece suggesting the laptop scandal might be Russian disinformation. That reporting has since been widely discredited as the laptop’s authenticity was confirmed by multiple news organizations, raising serious questions about Bertrand’s journalistic judgment.
“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!” said Donald Trump.
Bertrand joined CNN in April 2021 after stints at Politico, The Atlantic, and Business Insider, where she primarily covered national security and politics. Her reporting on Russia-related matters during the previous administration raised eyebrows among conservatives who noted her tendency to advance narratives that were later debunked or significantly revised. This history has fueled accusations that her work prioritizes partisan narrative-building over factual reporting.
CNN Defends Controversial Correspondent
Despite the growing criticism, CNN has stood firmly behind Bertrand. The network issued a statement defending her reporting on the Iran strikes, insisting that the reporting accurately reflected an initial intelligence assessment. CNN’s public relations team emphasized its complete support for Bertrand while acknowledging that the intelligence assessment could change as more information becomes available. This defense has only intensified scrutiny of the network’s commitment to balanced journalism.
“We stand 100% behind Natasha Bertrand’s journalism and specifically her and her colleagues’ reporting of the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities,” stated the CNN PR team.
The controversy emerges as CNN reportedly attempts to neutralize its coverage of the Trump administration after years of openly hostile reporting. However, critics point out that the network’s continued employment of correspondents with Bertrand’s track record undermines these efforts at balanced coverage. President Trump’s direct call for Bertrand’s firing represents an escalation in his critique of mainstream media outlets that he believes continue to push partisan narratives disguised as objective journalism.
Media Ethics Under Scrutiny
This incident has reignited broader discussions about media ethics and the responsibilities journalists have to present accurate, balanced information. Critics argue that Bertrand’s reporting exemplifies a concerning trend in mainstream journalism where narrative-building takes precedence over factual reporting. The disputed coverage of the Iran strikes highlights the significant gap between the administration’s assessment of military achievements and how certain media outlets choose to frame these operations, often in ways that appear designed to diminish their effectiveness.
“CNN’s reporting made clear that this was an initial finding that could change with additional intelligence,” according to a CNN spokesperson.
As President Trump continues his campaign against what he terms “fake news,” the Bertrand controversy serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing tension between the administration and major media outlets. The dispute underscores persistent concerns about media bias and the challenges conservative audiences face in finding reliable news sources that accurately report on the administration’s actions without filtering them through a partisan lens. Whether CNN will respond to the President’s call for Bertrand’s dismissal remains to be seen, but the incident has certainly intensified scrutiny of both the reporter and the network.
