Trump Demands CNN Journalist's Firing Over Iran Nuclear Report; CNN Defends Reporter

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized CNN journalist Natasha Bertrand, calling for her dismissal following her report on the effectiveness of U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump accused Bertrand of spreading "fake news" and undermining American pilots. Bertrand's report, published by CNN, suggested that early U.S. intelligence assessments indicated the strikes did not destroy Iran's nuclear sites but rather delayed the program by several months. The report cited sources indicating that the assessment was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon's intelligence arm. In response to Trump's accusations, CNN Communications issued a statement defending Bertrand's journalism. "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," the statement read. CNN clarified that their reporting made it clear this was an initial finding that could change with additional intelligence and noted that President Trump's own skepticism about it had been extensively covered. The network affirmed that it is reasonable to report on the existence and findings of such assessments, as they are in the public interest.