The Trump administration on Thursday condemned CNN for airing part of a public statement by Iran’s new supreme leader, the second time in three days that he targeted the network for its reporting on how the regime responded to U.S. attacks.
The attack illustrates the caution that news media must use when reporting in wartime and the responsibility of American journalists to report the views of countries their governments consider enemies. It also exposed inconsistencies. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei made his first public statement since succeeding his father, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, and the message was widely shared elsewhere.
The White House said on social media, “Fake News CNN just aired four uninterrupted minutes of Iranian state television, which is run by the same psychopathic, murderous regime that has prided itself on brutally massacring Americans for 47 years.”
CNN’s earlier interview drew criticism from Trump communications director
Two days ago, White House communications director Steven Cheung raised questions about CNN anchor Erin Burnett’s interview with former Iranian nuclear negotiator Hossein Mousavian. Burnett asked Mousavian that he had heard that the Iranian government was interested in negotiating with the United States. Not much, he said.
“Ever notice how CNN repeats the rhetoric and unsubstantiated information of Iranian terrorists?” Zhang wrote on X. “A complete disgrace. They have become the murderous Iranian regime’s version of Pravda,” referring to the former Soviet Union’s official newspaper.
CNN did not respond to Zhang’s statement but did respond to Thursday’s attack on the White House. The report pointed out that CNN, Sky News and Al Jazeera also broadcast live parts of the Ayatollah’s statement.
“The world is waiting to see where this war will go,” CNN said. “The comments from Iran’s new supreme leader are a key component in helping viewers understand where this conflict is headed and are being broadcast for their obvious news value.”
Other news outlets, including the Associated Press, sounded the alarm over Khamenei’s comments. He made headlines by vowing to continue attacking other Arab countries in the region and planning to cut off world oil supplies. The New York Times immediately reported the speech on its website, later writing that the speech “is an early sign of how the new top leader will approach the war and how he will lead the country.”
CNN has long been a favored target of President Donald Trump, dating back to his first term. It’s a particularly fragile time for the network, with Paramount Worldwide’s agreement to acquire CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery Channel raising questions about its future editorial independence.
CNN showed a news anchor reading some of Khamenei’s remarks in Farsi, with an English translation. It does not broadcast them in their entirety. After the speech, reporter Nick Paton-Walsh reported back to anchor Kate Boldouin, noting that the leader’s absence – reportedly injured in an airstrike – was as important as his words.
“We’re waiting to see the man’s face to attest to his health and survival, but they haven’t seen that moment yet,” said Walsh. “Instead, a handwritten message appears to mostly reiterate what we already know.”
Social media message boards expressing Iranian views
The Tech Transparency Project reports that several Iranian leaders and institutions maintain verified accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter and owned by Trump ally Elon Musk. CNBC said Thursday that Khamenei owned one of them, and that an X account bearing Khamenei’s likeness posted the text of his remarks, with Farsi and English translations.
Although Khamenei’s father has died, an account bearing his likeness remained active on Thursday, mostly retweeting his son’s messages. “We think of revenge not only for the martyrdom of an outstanding revolutionary leader,” read a message posted Thursday. “Each member of our nation killed by our enemies is an individual case requiring us to seek revenge.”
X is officially blocked in Iran, although many people use virtual private networks to get around the restrictions. A message sent to the platform on Thursday was not immediately returned.
Journalists have a long history of seeking interviews with world leaders, even when they are considered enemies of the United States. The most notable was the 1979 interview “60 Minutes” reporter Mike Wallace conducted with Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who was holding American hostages in Iran.
Jane Ferguson, a veteran international journalist and founder of news platform Noosphere, said Thursday’s comments by Iran’s new supreme leader were absolutely newsworthy and were legal for CNN to air. She said it was not the responsibility of government leaders to dismantle CNN’s reporting.
“We’ve been faced with this problem when reporters interview leaders or other figures hostile to U.S. interests,” she said. “This has been a low-hanging fruit for some time.”
Rice University historian Douglas Brinkley said it was unfair to single out CNN in this case. He also believes it is newsworthy to know what rival leaders are thinking, but it is important to ensure reporters remain cautious.
“You have to be wary of being used as a propaganda tool by the Iranian regime,” he said. “On the other hand, it’s important to understand what the enemy is saying and look for signs of peace overtures or nuance… It’s a difficult balance.”
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Associated Press reporter Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco contributed to this report. David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for The Associated Press. follow him in http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.