President Trump Labels New York Times and CNN Coverage of Iran War “Seditious”

On Thursday, President Donald Trump publicly denounced the New York Times and CNN, calling their reporting on the ongoing conflict with Iran “seditious.” He argued that the outlets’ narratives would lead viewers to believe Iran is winning, while he maintains that the United States is decisively prevailing. Trump made the remarks to White House pool reporters in the Oval Office, framing the media’s portrayal as a direct threat to national perception of the war.

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The statements came within the first 60 days of what the administration describes as a war against Iran. Throughout this period, Trump has repeatedly characterized unfavorable coverage as “fake news” and has accused major news organizations of undermining his administration’s credibility. The current criticism follows a pattern of labeling mainstream outlets as traitorous when they do not echo the president’s assessment of military progress.

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In his remarks, Trump asserted that Iran lacks any functional military capability. He claimed the country has “no Navy, they have no airfare, they have no nothing,” and that U.S. aircraft can overfly Tehran without encountering anti-aircraft fire. He added that the United States is “decimating that country” and that the media’s depiction of Iranian strength is “terrible” and “seditious.” The president emphasized that the false impression of an Iranian advantage is being deliberately spread by the New York Times and CNN.

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A group of Republicans opposing Trump’s media attacks echoed his own language in a public tweet, highlighting the controversy within his own party. The tweet read: “I read in the The New York Times, I see on that stupid CNN which I only watch because you have to watch a little bit of the enemy…If you see CNN, you’d think [Iran’s]…”. This post, shared by the account @RpsAgainstTrump on April 30, 2026, underscores internal dissent and frames the president’s accusations as a point of contention among GOP members.

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• “Everyday I read about how well they’re doing militarily,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States

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• “If you see CNN, you’d think that they’re winning the war. If you read the New York Times — it’s actually seditious, in my opinion. You read the New York Times, you actually think they’re winning the war. I read some of these columnists, but it all starts from the top. It’s a terrible thing.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States

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• “They have no Navy, they have no airfare, they have no nothing. We can fly right over the middle of Tehran without being shot at because they have no anti-aircraft — they have nothing,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States

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• “And yet I read in the New York Times, I see on that stupid CNN — which I only watch because you have to watch a little bit of the enemy, so I watch it for a very short period, but …” — Donald Trump, President of the United States

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