Trump demands firing of reporters over Iran strike coverage

President Donald Trump has demanded the firing of journalists from CNN and The New York Times over their coverage of recent U.S. airstrikes in Iran.

“FAKE NEWS REPORTERS FROM CNN & THE NEW YORK TIMES SHOULD BE FIRED, IMMEDIATELY!!! BAD PEOPLE WITH EVIL INTENTIONS,” Trump wrote in all caps Thursday on his Truth Social platform.

Such a direct call for the dismissal of journalists is highly unusual in democratic nations, where press freedom is a foundational principle.

CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post earlier this week reported that the weekend’s bombardment failed to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, citing officials familiar with a military intelligence assessment by the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency.

Trump quickly dismissed the reports as “fake news” and insisted that Iran’s nuclear program had been set back “basically decades.”