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17h ago

Trump Threatens Lawsuits as CNN and NYT Defy Retraction Demands

Both outlets stand by coverage of an intelligence assessment that estimated only a three- to six-month setback for Iran’s nuclear program.

US President Donald Trump arrives to speak in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, June 26, 2025. A Republican plan to cut $250 billion in Medicaid and other health-care spending hit a procedural roadblock in the Senate Thursday, complicating efforts to pass Donald Trump's massive tax and spending package. Photographer: Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Overview

  • President Donald Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito sent legal letters to CNN and The New York Times demanding retractions of their June 24 stories on a leaked Pentagon assessment of US airstrikes in Iran.
  • The intelligence report contradicted Trump’s assertion that the strikes “obliterated” Iranian nuclear sites and projected only a three- to six-month disruption of Iran’s enrichment capabilities.
  • The New York Times refused to retract or apologize, with lead lawyer David E. McCraw insisting the paper would continue reporting its findings without concession.
  • CNN rejected the demands and affirmed full support for Natasha Bertrand’s reporting, emphasizing its commitment to accurate public-interest journalism.
  • Administration officials characterized the leaked assessment as low-confidence intelligence, launched investigations into the disclosures and warned of potential prosecutions for the leaks.