Trump, CNN and the speech of Iran’s new Supreme Leader: four minutes that reignite the war
Four minutes from Mojtaba Khamenei’s speech were enough to reignite Donald Trump’s “war” against CNN, marking the second public criticism within three days.
The administration of the U.S. president condemned CNN after the network aired part of Mojtaba Khamenei’s public statement, escalating the media confrontation between the two sides.
The White House wrote on social media: “Fake news CNN aired four uninterrupted minutes of Iranian state television, run by the same mentally unstable and murderous regime that has proudly bragged about brutally slaughtering Americans for 47 years.”
Two days earlier, White House communications director Steven Cheung had also criticized an interview conducted by journalist Erin Burnett with former Iranian nuclear negotiator Hossein Mousavian.
During the interview, Burnett asked him how interested Tehran was in holding talks with Washington. Mousavian replied that the interest was “limited.”
Cheung then wrote on the platform X: “Did you notice how CNN keeps repeating quotes and unverified information from Iranian terrorists? Total disgrace.”
CNN did not respond directly to Cheung’s statement but commented on the attack launched by the White House on Thursday.
The network defended its coverage, stating that what it broadcast carried clear news value, particularly during wartime. It also noted that other major international broadcasters had aired portions of the Iranian Supreme Leader’s statement.
In a statement, CNN said: “The world is closely watching the direction this war will take. The statements made by Iran’s new Supreme Leader are an essential element in helping the public understand the trajectory of this conflict.”
Other news agencies, including the Associated Press, also issued alerts regarding Khamenei’s remarks, including his pledge to continue attacks against other Arab countries in the region and his plans to disrupt global oil supplies—statements that quickly dominated headlines.
The New York Times website published his remarks on its homepage immediately after the speech and later noted that the address “was an early indication of how the new Supreme Leader intends to handle the war and lead the country,” according to the Associated Press.
