CNN has issued a strong defense of national security correspondent Natasha Bertrand after President Donald Trump launched a personal attack on her via Truth Social, accusing her of spreading “fake news” and calling for her to be fired and “thrown out like a dog.”
The former president’s comments, posted on June 25, were in response to Bertrand’s reporting on the recent U.S. strikes against three of Iran’s nuclear sites. According to CNN’s coverage, the strikes—conducted over the weekend—did not completely eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities but rather set them back by several months. This assessment, based on early intelligence, has been the subject of evolving analysis by defense officials.
In his post, Trump stated:
“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.'”
He accused Bertrand of previously misleading the public in her 2020 reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop while working at Politico, suggesting it could be part of a Russian disinformation campaign. Trump also alleged that her latest work undermined U.S. pilots and misrepresented the military’s actions during the Iran operation, which he characterized as “TOTAL OBLITERATION.”
Continuing his criticism, Trump wrote:
“She doesn’t have what it takes to be an on-camera correspondent… FIRE NATASHA!”
In a swift response, CNN defended Bertrand’s work, issuing a public statement via its PR team on X (formerly Twitter):
“We stand 100% behind Natasha Bertrand’s journalism and specifically her and her colleagues’ reporting of the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. CNN’s reporting made clear that this was an initial finding that could change with additional intelligence.”
CNN emphasized that Bertrand’s reporting accurately conveyed the current intelligence consensus and included coverage of Trump’s own skepticism.
“It is not 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 network added.
Bertrand, who joined CNN in 2021, previously worked for Politico, The Atlantic, and Business Insider, focusing on national security and intelligence reporting.
Trump’s attacks on CNN have escalated in recent weeks, including a separate Truth Social post targeting anchor Anderson Cooper, whom he mockingly referred to as “Allison Cooper.” He also took aim at other media executives and journalists, labeling Comcast Chairman Brian L. Roberts “dumb,” and calling ABC News’ Jonathan Karl a “fake news” correspondent.
As CNN continues to navigate its coverage of Trump during his second term, the network is facing increasing hostility from the president, who remains critical of what he views as unfair media treatment. Meanwhile, CNN has reaffirmed its editorial independence and commitment to responsible journalism.