Trump Denies Report He Approved Iran Strikes, Blasts Fox News
Topline
President Donald Trump on Thursday issued his latest social media attacks on the media—this time against his usually favorite cable network Fox News, calling it “crooked” for its latest poll on border security, and also denying a Wall Street Journal report he privately authorized attack plans on Iran.
The president has escalated his rhetoric against the press in recent months, claiming Fox News and … More
Key Facts
Trump, writing on Truth Social, claimed the “crooked Fox News polls got the [presidential] election WRONG” and the outlet has “been biased against me for years,” adding, “They are always always wrong and negative. It’s why MAGA HATES Fox News, even though their anchors are GREAT.”
He targeted a poll released by Fox News on Wednesday, which found 53% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of border security, while 53% disapproved of his moves on immigration, with other unfavorable ratings for the economy (40-58%) and inflation (34-64%).
Crucial Quote
“This has gone on for years, but [Fox News] never [changes] the incompetent polling company that does their work,” Trump wrote. “I hate FAKE pollsters, one of the worst, but Fox will never change their discredited pollster!”
What Has Donald Trump Said About Attacking Iran?
Trump has warned Iran against targeting U.S. personnel or assets, writing on Truth Social that “we’ll come down so hard, it’d be gloves off … I think they know not to touch our troops.” When asked if the U.S. was moving closer to striking Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump told reporters, “I may do it, I may not do it, I mean nobody knows what I’m going to do.” Trump has said he was “not looking for a long-term war,” noting, “I only want one thing: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Key Background
Trump and his administration have targeted media organizations he views unfavorably. He has referred to pollsters from the New York Times, ABC News, the Washington Post and Fox News as “negative criminals” who should be “investigated for ELECTION FRAUD.” Meanwhile, the Trump administration has promoted right-wing voices in the White House press corps and previously restricted access for the Associated Press and other outlets to presidential events. Trump has also sought to dismantle federally funded media outlets, including NPR, PBS and the international broadcaster Voice of America, while challenging CBS for what he claimed was an edited “60 Minutes” interview with Harris in the lead-up to the presidential election. The Federal Trade Commission has launched investigations into the liberal advocacy group, Media Matters for America, over claims the organization deterred companies from advertising on Elon Musk’s X. The agency has also launched probes into PBS and NPR and whether they aired “announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements.” NPR has challenged the probe and Trump’s threat to cut federal funding, writing a loss of funds would have a “devastating impact on American communities across the nation.”
