US President, Donald Trump has called for CNN correspondent Natasha Bertrand to be fired following her report that recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities may have only delayed Tehran’s nuclear program by a few months.
“Natasha Bertrand should be FIRED from CNN! I watched her for three days doing Fake News. She should be IMMEDIATELY reprimanded, and then thrown out ‘like a dog,’” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.Local restaurant guide
Trump accused Bertrand of undermining U.S. military efforts, claiming she was “attempting to destroy our Patriot Pilots by making them look bad.” He also criticized her credibility, writing that “she doesn’t have what it takes to be an on-camera correspondent, not even close. FIRE NATASHA!”
Bertrand had cited an internal U.S. intelligence assessment indicating that Saturday’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites had limited long-term impact. The preliminary report suggested the strikes set back Iran’s nuclear enrichment program by only a few months. Her report echoed similar findings published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other outlets.
Trump dismissed the leaked assessment as incomplete and maintained that the strikes had caused far greater damage. He and his administration have continued to push the Israeli position, which estimates that Iran’s program has been delayed by several years.
Despite Trump’s criticism, CNN stood firmly behind its reporter. In a statement to The Hill, the network said:
“CNN stands 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 network emphasized that the report was clearly described as a preliminary finding and noted that it had also covered Trump’s skepticism toward the intelligence.
“We do not believe it is reasonable to criticize CNN reporters for accurately reporting the existence of the assessment and accurately characterizing its findings, which are in the public interest,” the spokesperson added.
The controversy comes amid ongoing investigations by the Trump administration into the leak of the classified report. Trump’s harsh comments reflect his broader disdain for mainstream media coverage and his repeated claims of bias from networks like CNN.
Bertrand, a seasoned national security correspondent, has not commented publicly on Trump’s remarks.