President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on media outlets over coverage of his strikes on Iran, calling CNN’s Anderson Cooper “Allison” and labeling Comcast “‘Con’cast.”
The president complained that news outlets like CNN, ABC News, and NBC News have misrepresented the impact of the U.S.’ strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which he said had been “totally destroyed.”
“Only the Fake News would say anything different in order to try and demean, as much as possible — And even they say they were “pretty well destroyed!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday. “Working especially hard on this falsehood is Allison Cooper of Fake News CNN, Dumb Brian L. Roberts, Chairman of ‘Con’cast, Jonny Karl of ABC Fake News, and always, the Losers of, again, Concast’s NBC Fake News.”
News outlets—including CNN, The New York Times, NBC News, and The Washington Post—have reported on conflicting accounts about the impact of the strikes, which is still unclear.
CNN had no comment. ABC News and Comcast did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The White House would not elaborate on what specific reports angered Trump, pointing to his Truth Social post.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Cooper, one of CNN’s top anchors, with the disparaging name, invoking it twice on the campaign trail last year. Cooper is openly gay.
ABC’s Jonathan Karl spoke to Trump on Saturday after the president announced the strikes; Trump told him they had been a “tremendous success.” NBC’s Kristen Welker also spoke to Trump, who told her the mission was a “complete and total success.”
Still, Trump has targeted the news outlets with both the levers of government and litigation. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has launched investigations into ABC and NBC over their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and Trump sued ABC News for defamation over a remark by George Stephanopoulos last year. The network ultimately settled the lawsuit for $16 million.
“It never ends with the sleazebags in the Media, and that’s why their Ratings are at an ALL TIME LOW — ZERO CREDIBILITY!” Trump wrote on Monday.
The post Trump Melts Down at News Outlets Questioning Iran Damage appeared first on The Daily Beast.
