Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rips CNN’s ‘fake news’ over Iran war coverage, demands David Ellison take control immediately

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly blasted CNN for its coverage of the Iran war, exclaiming that the “sooner” Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison “takes over that network, the better,” as reported by The Hill. This strong statement came during a press briefing at the Pentagon, where Hegseth didn’t hold back on his criticisms of the news outlet.

Hegseth, who was formerly a host at Fox News, specifically took issue with CNN’s reporting on the Trump administration’s understanding of the Iran war’s impact on the Strait of Hormuz. “Fake news from CNN reports that the Trump administration underestimated the Iran war’s impact on the Strait of Hormuz. Patently ridiculous, of course,” Hegseth stated. He pointed out that Iran has consistently threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz for decades, something he believes is a well-known tactic. “This is always what they do, hold the strait hostage,” he added, clearly frustrated.

The Defense Secretary felt CNN’s report was fundamentally flawed. “CNN doesn’t think we thought of that. It’s a fundamentally unserious report,” Hegseth told reporters, reiterating his wish for Ellison to take control of the network swiftly. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for CNN responded, stating that “we stand by our reporting.”

Hegseth’s comments come at a fascinating time, as Ellison’s company, Paramount Skydance, reached a deal earlier this month to acquire CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery

This massive deal, valued at $111 billion after a bidding war with Netflix, is still awaiting regulatory approval. Ellison himself has been quite vocal about his vision for CNN should the merger go through. He’s insisted that the network will absolutely maintain its editorial independence, drawing parallels to how CBS operates under his watch. “Editorial independence will absolutely be maintained. It’s maintained at CBS. It’ll be maintained at CNN,” Ellison explained during an interview on CNBC.

However, Ellison has also faced scrutiny recently from Democrats and media critics. He’s taken some heat over the appointment of a former conservative think tank leader as ombudsman at CBS News, which sparked quite a bit of discussion.

Ellison has also pledged to retool CNN’s editorial strategy to cater to a more politically “diverse” audience. Some observers have interpreted this promise as a desire to shift the broadcaster’s political leanings more to the right. It’s definitely a situation many are watching closely to see how it plays out.

This isn’t the first time Hegseth has voiced his strong opinions about media coverage. He has repeatedly chastised news outlets for their portrayal of the Pentagon and the U.S. military, arguing that some are actively trying to make the armed forces look bad. He even offered an example of how headlines can be intentionally crafted. “People look up at the TV and they see banners. They see headlines. I used to be in that business, and I know that everything is written intentionally,” Hegseth said.

He pointed to a hypothetical banner reading “Mideast war intensifies” splashing across the screen. “What should the banner read instead? How about Iran increasingly desperate? Because they are,” he proposed during his opening remarks. “They know it.”