In a social media post, President Donald Trump accused CNN correspondent Natasha Bertrand of falsely reporting stories and spreading fake news.
U.S. President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on CNN national security correspondent Natasha Bertrand, accusing her of spreading “fake news” over her reporting on recent U.S. airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Bertrand should be “fired” and “thrown out like a dog.”
“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,’” Trump wrote.
He further claimed, “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!”
CNN Responds: “We Stand 100% Behind Natasha Bertrand”
In response to Trump’s comments, CNN released a firm statement defending Bertrand and her reporting. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the network said:
“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. CNN’s reporting made clear that this was an initial finding that could change with additional intelligence.”
The statement continued:
“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 accurately characterizing its findings, which are in the public interest.”
Background: What Sparked Trump’s Outburst?
The controversy arose after Bertrand reported on a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment suggesting that the strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites may not have completely neutralized the intended targets. The report reportedly contradicted Trump’s claim that the mission resulted in “total obliteration.”
Trump lashed out, accusing Bertrand of damaging the reputation of American pilots and the network.
“It’s people like her who destroyed the reputation of a once great Network. Her slant was so obviously negative,” Trump added. “She doesn’t have what it takes to be an on-camera correspondent. Not even close. FIRE NATASHA!”
As of now, neither Bertrand nor CNN has issued any personal response beyond the network’s official statement.
