Trump Says «Fake News» Media Should Face «Charges for Treason»

Donald Trump launched a lengthy and angry tirade on Truth Social as he denounced what he described as false reporting about the war with Iran. The president posted a long message criticizing what he called «fake» coverage of the conflict, accusing major American media outlets of spreading misleading narratives about the state of the war and the performance of the U.S. military. Trump singled out The Wall Street Journal and other news organizations, claiming their reporting echoed Iranian propaganda and distorted the reality of the conflict. His comments arrived as the war with Iran continues to dominate headlines and spark debate in Washington over military strategy and the way the conflict is portrayed to the American public.

In the message, Trump argued that Iran has long relied on propaganda and information warfare to influence global perception of its military capabilities. «Iran has long been known as a Master of Media Manipulation and Public Relations. They are Militarily ineffective and weak, but are really good at “feeding” the very appreciative Fake News Media false information,» Trump wrote. He claimed Tehran had recently intensified those efforts by using artificial intelligence to create fabricated images and videos designed to appear authentic. According to the president, such material is then amplified by Western media outlets that fail to verify the claims before publishing reports about alleged Iranian successes in the conflict.

Trump also challenged several reports describing damage to American military assets during the war, particularly stories suggesting that U.S. refueling aircraft had been destroyed or severely damaged. «The five U.S. Refueling Planes that were supposedly struck down and badly damaged, according to The Wall Street Journal's false reporting, and others, are all in service, with the exception of one, which will soon be flying the skies,» Trump wrote. He insisted that images circulating online showing damaged American infrastructure or vessels were fabricated and part of a broader disinformation effort. «Buildings and Ships that are shown to be on fire are not — It's FAKE NEWS, generated by A.I.,» he added.

The president also pointed to claims circulating online about a supposed attack on a major U.S. naval vessel operating in the region. «For instance, Iran, working in close coordination with the Fake News Media, shows our great USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier, one of the largest and most prestigious Ships in the World, burning uncontrollably in the Ocean,» Trump wrote.

Trump said the scenario never happened and accused Iranian authorities of manufacturing dramatic images to project strength despite what he described as heavy losses on the battlefield. «Not only was it not burning, it was not even shot at — Iran knows better than to do that!» he wrote.

Trump then escalated his criticism of the press by suggesting that outlets publishing such reports should face severe consequences under U.S. law.

«The story was knowingly FAKE and, in a certain way, you can say that those Media Outlets that generated it should be brought up on Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information!» Trump wrote. He argued that the conflict itself was unfolding very differently from what he said the media portrayed.

«The fact is, Iran is being decimated, and the only battles they “win” are those that they create through AI, and are distributed by Corrupt Media Outlets.» Trump also accused what he called the «Radical Leftwing Press» of knowingly spreading false stories.

Trump concluded the post by praising Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, who has warned broadcasters about the potential consequences of spreading false information.

«I am so thrilled to see Brendan Carr, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), looking at the licenses of some of these Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic “News” Organizations,» Trump wrote. The president argued that television networks benefit from public airwaves and should therefore face scrutiny if they disseminate inaccurate reporting.

«They get Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves, and use it to perpetuate LIES, both in News and almost all of their Shows,» Trump added, suggesting that federal regulators should consider whether some broadcasters deserve to keep their licenses.

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