PALM BEACH, Florida – On his flight from “the Winter White House” in Florida to Washington, D.C., Sunday evening, President Donald Trump verbally butchered a dishonest reporter for CNN who actually tried to conceal the fact she works for the cable news network.
Shortly after the president told journalists aboard Air Force One that he’s considering military options against Iran, the reporter asked if the president had been meeting with senior officials.
“Are you asking me what will I do? Where will we attack? When? And at what angle will we attack from?” Trump replied before asking about her media affiliation. “Who are you with?”
“I’m with the U.S. White House TV pool,” the reporter replied. “I’m wondering are you being briefed on options … ”
Trump pressed her for specifics, asking: “What network are you with?”
“I’m with CNN, sir,” the journalist answered.
“Why didn’t you just say I’m with CNN? She says, ‘I’m with the White House POOL.’ I say, what? You’re with CNN. You’re with fake news, because CNN is fake news.”
WATCH:
JUST IN: CNN reporter tries to CONCEAL which network she works for to President Trump, he finds out anyway
“Who are you with?”
CNN: US White House TV pool. I’m wondering-
“What NETWORK?”
CNN: …I’m with CNN, sir…
“Why didn’t you just say CNN? FAKE NEWS!”
“She… pic.twitter.com/djK5ZQ9ZKr
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 12, 2026
Despite being verbally body-slammed, the same reporter had the nerve to proffer what Trump deemed a “stupid question,” as she asked: “Do you think Iran takes your threats seriously?”
“I think so. Don’t you think so, CNN? Don’t you think so?” Trump responded.
“Wouldn’t you say they probably do at this point? After going through it for years with me, being hit, Soleimani, al-Baghdadi, the Iran nuclear threat wiped out, don’t you think – and then you just had Venezuela. Don’t you think – she says, CNN, ‘Do you think they take your threat seriously?’ Wouldn’t you say they do, after all of the things we’ve done? What a stupid question.”
WATCH:
CNN: Do you think Iran takes your threats seriously? @POTUS: “Wouldn’t you say that they probably do at this point, after going through it for years with me?… Soleimani, al-Baghdadi, the Iran nuclear threat wiped out… What a stupid question.” pic.twitter.com/lE1Ygwu5px
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 12, 2026
During the in-flight press gaggle, Trump also warned the regime of Ayatollah Khamenei was “starting to cross” a “red line” with its crackdown on protesters across the country, with more than 500 reportedly killed by the Islamists in charge, and at least 10,000 under arrest.
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