United States President Donald Trump launched a formal investigation into Cable News Network (CNN) on Tuesday, accusing the broadcaster of publishing what he called a fraudulent statement from Iran just minutes after a two-week ceasefire was announced between Washington and Tehran.
The dispute erupted roughly 90 minutes after Trump announced the ceasefire, when CNN reported on a statement issued by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) declaring that Tehran had achieved victory and averted his threat to strike civilian infrastructure.
CNN’s live blog reported that the SNSC said Iran had “achieved a great victory and forced the United States to accept its 10-point plan,” adding that Washington had agreed in principle to lift all primary and secondary sanctions and withdraw combat forces from regional bases.
Trump rejected the report entirely. Writing on Truth Social, he said the statement was “a FRAUD” and claimed it originated from a fake news platform based in Nigeria before being picked up and presented by CNN as a credible headline. He called for the network to immediately remove the report and issue a full apology, while announcing that authorities were examining whether a crime had been committed.
CNN refused to back down. A network spokesperson said the statement was obtained directly from Iranian officials and had been carried across multiple Iranian state media outlets, adding that it came from known official spokespeople.
Senior CNN correspondent Matthew Chance, reporting from Qatar, told anchor Anderson Cooper that after Trump’s objection, he contacted the Iranian foreign ministry directly and was sent the exact same document, leaving him confident the material was authentic.
The New York Times also reported on a similar statement attributed to Iran’s National Security Council, in which Tehran congratulated its people on what it described as a victory.
At the center of the dispute appear to be two separate Iranian statements. Iran’s Foreign Affairs Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a shorter, more measured declaration confirming a two-week ceasefire and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. CNN separately reported a second, more assertive statement from the SNSC, which was more detailed and claimed Iran had secured control over the waterway.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, backed the president’s position, calling CNN’s conduct “outrageous” and demanding “change at CNN.”
The standoff over the competing narratives reflects the broader tension between the Trump administration and major US media outlets, particularly as ceasefire terms between Washington and Tehran remain under active negotiation.
