United States President Donald Trump is angry at CNN and a trouble-making website in Nigeria for allegedly spreading Fake news purportedly issued by Iranian authorities.
In the report, Iran was said to have claimed victory over US following a ceasefire agreement.
Trump said the report was outright fake news and he attacked CNN for spreading the fake news knowing same to be untrue.
Trump made the claim in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, shortly after announcing a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The ceasefire has relaxed tension in the Middle East pushing oil prices down south on the prospects of opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
On the statement attributed to Iran, Trump said, “The alleged statement put out by CNN World News is a fraud, as CNN well knows.
“The false statement was linked to a Fake News site (from Nigeria) and, of course, immediately picked up by CNN, and blared out as a ‘legitimate’ headline.”
Trump said that the version circulated by CNN did not reflect Iran’s official position, stating, “The Official Statement by Iran was just released, and posted on TRUTH”
In a follow-up post, Trump said, “No one can believe that Fake News CNN put out a knowingly false and dangerous statement pretending it came from the upper levels of the Iranian Government. It didn’t! It was totally made up and posted, as a headline, for purpose of, perhaps, inflaming a very delicate situation.”
He claimed that the report originated from “a new, trouble-making site from Nigeria,” adding that “CNN just got caught cheating — a very dangerous thing to do.”
The disputed statement, reportedly issued by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, appeared to taunt Trump, claiming that Tehran had recorded a “historic and crushing defeat” against the United States and compelled Washington to accept elements of its proposed negotiation framework.
Trump said that the official Iranian position did not support such assertions, and demanded that CNN withdraw the report and apologise.
He said, “Authorities are looking to determine whether or not a crime was committed on the issuance of the Fake CNN World Statement, or was it a sick rogue player.
“CNN is being ordered to immediately withdraw this statement with full apologies for their, as usual, terrible ‘reporting.’ Results of the investigation will be announced in the near future.”
