Overview

• President Trump’s attorney sent letters to CNN and The New York Times threatening lawsuits if they do not retract and apologize for reporting an early Pentagon intelligence assessment that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were only set back by months.
• CNN issued a statement fully backing reporter Natasha Bertrand’s coverage and emphasizing the preliminary nature of the intelligence assessment.
• The New York Times’ deputy general counsel, David McCraw, replied that no retraction or apology will be forthcoming and reaffirmed the accuracy of the paper’s reporting.
• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt continued to label the reports “fake narratives” and accused the outlets of being unpatriotic for doubting the operation’s success.
• CNN anchor Abby Phillip warned that the administration’s legal and political pressure on news organizations poses a serious threat to press freedom in the United States.