Trump threatens CNN over its Iran protection moments after saying ceasefire plan | EUROtoday

President Donald Trump fired off a seething menace towards CNN Tuesday night time in response to its reporting Iran had claimed a “great victory” over the U.S. following the president’s announcement to delay his ceasefire deadline by two weeks.

Trump had initially given Iran till 8 p.m. ET Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning a refusal would imply a “whole civilization will die.”

Around 90 minutes earlier than that deadline, Trump and the White House launched statements saying the U.S. and Iran had agreed to barter an finish to hostilities that would come with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the suspension of combating for 2 weeks.

Following the announcement, CNN printed a submit to its on-line dwell weblog detailing the Iranian response.

“Iran says it has achieved a great victory and forced the United States to accept its 10-point plan, according to a statement from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council report by Iranian state media,” the submit learn.

Trump then lashed out on Truth Social, threatening to research CNN for committing “a crime” and accusing the outlet of knowingly publishing incorrect statements.

“The alleged Statement put out by CNN World News is a FRAUD, as CNN well knows. The false Statement was linked to a Fake News site (from Nigeria) and, of course, immediately picked up by CNN, and blared out as a ‘legitimate’ headline,” Trump wrote, saying he had shared the precise assertion launched by Iran under his submit.

The president ordered the outlet to take away the reporting and threatened an investigation into CNN. Trump has no say or management over what CNN, a non-public enterprise, chooses to publish.

“Authorities are looking to determine whether or not a crime was committed on the issuance of the Fake CNN World Statement, or was it a sick rogue player? CNN is being ordered to immediately withdraw this Statement with full apologies for their, as usual, terrible ‘reporting,’ Trump said. “Results of the investigation will probably be introduced within the close to future.”

Federal Communications Commission head Brendan Carr then said in a social media post that it was “time for change” at CNN.

“More outrageous conduct from CNN. Fake information is dangerous sufficient for the nation, however pushing out a hoax headline in such a delicate nationwide safety second as this requires accountability,” Carr said. “Iran put out an official assertion that merely can’t be squared with the one CNN’s false headline attributes to them. Time for change at CNN.”

Carr has faced backlash after threatening broadcasters’ licenses over Iran war coverage. Cable networks such as CNN are not licensed and do not fall under Carr’s crusade.

In response to Carr’s tweet, CNN released its own statement defending its reporting.

“The assertion in query was obtained by CNN from Iranian officers and reported on a number of Iranian state media shops. We obtained the assertion from particular official Iranian spokespeople who’re identified to us,” the assertion stated.

The Trump administration has done little to hide its contempt for CNN. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said last month that he was looking forward to the Trump-friendly David Ellison taking over CNN.

“The sooner David Ellison takes over that community, the higher,” Hegseth said after complaining about the network’s coverage of the Iran war. Paramount Skydance, which is controlled by Ellison, has entered into a $110 deal to buy Warner Brothers, which is the parent company of CNN.

Billionaire Ellison also owns the parent company that controls CBS News and oversaw the installation of Bari Weiss at its helm.

CNN was not the only news organization to report Iran was claiming victory over the U.S. The New York Times posted a similarly worded message on its live blog, citing Iran’s National Security Council.

“Iran’s National Security Council stated in an announcement that Iran had been victorious and congratulated the folks of Iran for his or her defiance within the five-week battle with the United States and Israel and stated the United States had accepted all of Iran’s 10-point peace plan, together with ensures to not assault Iran, Iran’s management over the Strait of Hormuz and repatriation for monetary losses,” the post read, also noting that Trump had only said he was willing to discuss the 10-point plan, not that he had accepted it.

The NYT also shared a quote it attributed to the council congratulating the Iranian people on their “victory” over the U.S.

“We congratulate all of the folks of Iran on this victory and emphasize that till the small print of this victory are finalized, steadfastness and prudence from officers and the preservation of unity and solidarity among the many Iranian folks stay important,” the council said.

Drop Site News published what it said was the full, translated text of the Iranian National Security Council’s statement, which also included the line “we congratulate all of the folks of Iran on this victory…”

Trump wasn’t the only one in his administration lashing out at media figures for framing the ceasefire talks as a victory for Iran.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung had a meltdown on X after leftist writer Owen Jones said that Trump accepting Iran’s 10-point plan would be “the most important strategic defeat suffered by the U.S. since its emergence as a superpower.”

“You do not know what the f*** you’re speaking about you loser. Go again to no matter gap you crawled out of since you clearly can’t learn,” Cheung replied.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement definitively declaring Trump as the victor.

“This is a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen,” she wrote on X. “Never underestimate President Trump’s ability to successfully advance America’s interests and broker peace.”

Iran’s statement on Tuesday night acknowledging that it was willing to go to the table with the U.S. included a line saying that Trump agreed to use the 10-point plan as a “foundation of negotiation.”

Despite the White House’s efforts to control the narrative on Tuesday night, the three major U.S. cable news networks openly debated which nation, if any, could be considered a victor, according to mediaite.

On CNN, anchor Erin Burnett said that Trump “backed down.”

“Literally at the 11th hour, Trump backing down after threatening that a, quote, ‘whole civilization will die tonight never to be brought back again,’” Burnett said. “Horrific and unacceptable words — which, just moments ago, at the 11th hour before his deadline, Trump now has essentially rescinded.”

MS NOW’s Symone Sanders-Townsend had a similar take, saying that Trump “caved.”

Fox News’ Laura Ingraham didn’t agree. She claimed to have spoken with Trump on the phone moments before she went on air and told her viewers she believed it was Iran that “blinked.”

Trump, in his ceasefire announcement, insisted that Iran had agreed “to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”

The Associated Press later reported that a “regional official” was claiming Iran will continue charging tolls for cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz with funds to be used for “reconstruction.”