Kamal Ghorui
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused sections of the American media of “giving Iran false hope” through their coverage of the ongoing war, alleging that reports suggesting Tehran had inflicted damage on US forces amounted to “virtual TREASON.”In a post on Truth Social, Trump lashed out at what he called “Fake News” outlets, claiming that media reports portraying Iran as militarily successful were false and harmful to American interests.“When the Fake News says that the Iranian enemy is doing well, Militarily, against us, it’s virtual TREASON in that it is such a false, and even preposterous, statement. They are aiding and abetting the enemy! All it does is give Iran false hope when none should exist. These are American cowards that are rooting against our Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.The US President also reiterated his claim that Iran’s military infrastructure had been destroyed by American and Israeli operations during the conflict.“Iran had 159 ships in their Navy — Every single ship is now resting at the bottom of the sea. They have no Navy, their Air Force is gone, all Technology is gone, their “leaders” are no longer with us, and the Country is an Economic Disaster,” Trump said.“Only Losers, Ingrates, and Fools are able to make a case against America!” he added.Trump’s remarks came after several US media reports suggested that Iranian strikes had caused more extensive damage to American military installations in the Gulf region than previously acknowledged.A report by The Washington Post, citing satellite imagery analysis, claimed that Iranian airstrikes had damaged around 228 structures and pieces of equipment linked to US military facilities across the Middle East since the conflict began on February 28.The latest comments are part of a broader attack by Trump and senior members of his administration against American media outlets over their reporting on the war.Meanwhile, CNN reported this week that Trump had “personally pushed” the US Department of Justice to issue subpoenas to journalists covering the conflict in an effort to identify confidential sources, citing unnamed officials familiar with the matter.The developments come amid growing scrutiny over the scale of the conflict and competing narratives surrounding the military impact of Iranian strikes on US assets in the region.
