CNN has responded to criticism from President Donald Trump over reporting from correspondent Natasha Bertrand, which resulted in Trump calling for her firing.
On his Truth Social account, President Donald Trump called for Bertrand’s firing after saying she lied in her reporting about the U.S.’s bombing of nuclear sites in Iran.
“Natasha Bertrand should be FIRED from CNN! I watched her for three days doing Fake News,” Trump wrote. “She should be IMMEDIATELY reprimanded, and then thrown out ‘like a dog.’ 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 came after Natasha Bertrand after she reported that a Defense Intelligence Agency file says that the bombing in Iran only set the company back by a few months, rather than the “completely obliterated” status that President Trump had previously declared. The network pointed out in its reporting that it was preliminary report. Subsequent outlets shared the network’s reporting.
After Trump’s comments went viral, the network responded by backing their correspondent.
“We stand 100% behind Natasha Bertrand’s journalism and specifically her and her colleagues’ reporting of the early intelligence assessment of the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities,” a statement from the network said. “CNN’s reporting made clear that this was an initial finding that could change with additional intelligence. 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 on the existence of the assessment and accurately characterizing its findings, which are in the public interest.”
Natasha Bertrand reports on the Pentagon and National Security for CNN. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the existence of the report from the DIA on Wednesday.
Trump also shared his displeasure with CNN during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. He mocked Kaitlan Collins and argued that CNN doesn’t appreciate the efforts of U.S. troops.
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