WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration criticized CNN after the network aired portions of a public statement from Iran’s new supreme leader during coverage of the escalating conflict in the region.
White House officials accused CNN of broadcasting propaganda from a hostile regime after the network aired translated remarks from Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who recently succeeded his father following his death in an Israeli airstrike. A White House social media statement said the network had aired “four straight minutes of uninterrupted Iranian state TV,” describing the coverage as promoting messaging from an adversarial government.
The criticism followed earlier comments by White House communications director Steven Cheung, who also attacked CNN for airing an interview with former Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyed Hossein Mousavian. Cheung accused the network of repeating unverified claims and referred to CNN as “a total disgrace.”
CNN defended the decision to air the remarks, saying they had clear news value during a developing international conflict. The network noted that other outlets, including Sky News, Al Jazeera, and The Associated Press, also reported on the speech as part of broader coverage of the war and the new Iranian leader’s stance.
Media analysts say airing statements from adversaries during wartime can present ethical challenges for journalists, balancing the need to inform audiences with concerns about amplifying propaganda.
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