Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr publicly criticized CNN on Tuesday, joining President Donald Trump in disputing the cable news network’s reporting on Iran’s response to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Carr and Trump said CNN mischaracterized Iran’s position after its reporting suggested Iranian officials viewed recent developments as a “victory” following the announcement of a temporary two-week ceasefire. The president's public statements about essentially wiping out Iran led to the current postponement in warfare.
Carr has had his finger on the pulse as it pertains to other Trump administration clashes with on-air TV personalities, including Stephen Colbert and CBS as well as ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, as part of a so-called political bias. The administration has also been consistently vocal about its feelings towards PBS and NPR, following previous Republican efforts to defund both entities.
Trump, posting on Truth Social, described CNN’s reporting as a “fraud” and called for an investigation. Carr echoed that criticism on X, urging accountability without elaborating what that would look like.
"More outrageous conduct from CNN. Fake news is bad enough for the country, but pushing out a hoax headline in such a sensitive national security moment as this requires accountability," Carr wrote.
Neither Carr nor Trump provided public evidence to support claims that CNN’s reporting was inaccurate. Military.com reached out to the FCC for further comment.
CNN defended its reporting in a statement provided to Military.com, as follows:
The statement in question was obtained by CNN from Iranian officials and reported on multiple Iranian state media outlets. We received the statement from specific official Iranian spokespeople who are known to us.
The network also pointed to on-air reporting from correspondent Matthew Chance, who said multiple statements had emerged from Iran, including a shorter, more limited statement from the foreign ministry and a more detailed document attributed to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
According to Chance, the more detailed document—one that drew criticism from Trump—outlined a broader set of demands, including control over transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from regional bases, compensation payments and sanctions relief. He said the document had appeared on Iranian state-affiliated outlets and was later confirmed directly by Iran’s foreign ministry.
I followed up with the Iranian foreign ministry … and they sent me the document themselves... We’re very confident that this document is authentic.
FCC Role in Overseeing Media
CNN was not the only news organization to report a similar story.
Several other outlets, including The New York Times and PBS, reported similar statements by Iranian officials, noting language that framed the outcome in favor of Tehran.
The FCC does not license cable networks like CNN. Reuters reported last month that Carr’s warnings over Iran-related coverage were directed at broadcasters using public airwaves, not cable outlets. The agency can still wield influence in matters involving licensed stations and major media deals.
Trump administration officials reinforced that framing publicly, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt describing the outcome as “a victory for the United States.”
According to The New York Times, the message included language praising the Iranian public for what it described as a victory and urging continued unity and resolve as negotiations move forward.
In his post to Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. had received a 10-point proposal from Iran that could serve as a foundation for negotiations, but he did not indicate that the proposal had been formally accepted.
