Press Conference Announcement on Operation Midnight Hammer
Defense Secretary Pete Hegses is set to hold a press conference at the Pentagon on Thursday concerning Operation Midnight Hammer. This comes as concerns emerge about the effectiveness of the recent military strike.
President Donald Trump shared the news on Truth Social, indicating that Hegses and others would join him for the event at 8 AM, emphasizing the need to “Fight for the Dignity of Our Great American Pilot.”
In his post, Trump remarked:
These patriots were understandably upset! They had spent 36 hours flying over hostile territory, landing with a sense of legendary success, only to be met with negative reports from CNN and the New York Times two days later. They felt disheartened. Thankfully, and as often is the case, the fake news—specifically the Times and CNN—misrepresented the truth. This press conference should be both interesting and unmissable. Enjoy!
Earlier in the day, Trump criticized CNN for its claim that Saturday’s strike had not significantly impacted Iran’s nuclear program, citing an “early US intelligence report assessment” from an anonymous source.
During the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump referenced a report from Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission, which suggested that Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons has been pushed back by “years,” opposing CNN’s narrative. According to him, the mission could have delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions by a month.
The report continued to indicate that Iran's nuclear weapon development has seen significant setbacks.
Trump expressed gratitude towards the pilots involved, suggesting that they faced challenges due to misleading media coverage. He noted, “I somewhat fell victim to CNN’s fake news myself.” It’s a bit astonishing, really.
Interestingly, Natasha Bertrand—a reporter who contributed to the CNN article—has faced criticism in the past. Her earlier reporting, where over 50 intelligence officials signed a letter claiming the allegations surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop were Russian disinformation, later proved to be unfounded.
After calling for Bertrand’s dismissal on Wednesday, Trump stated:
Natasha Bertrand should be removed from CNN! I’ve seen the fake news she has reported for three days straight. She needs to be reprimanded immediately and shown the door. She misrepresented previous stories and is now attempting to undermine our dedicated pilots. They did an excellent job, and yet she tries to tarnish their reputation. People like her have already damaged this great network’s credibility. Frankly, she doesn’t possess the qualities necessary to be a good correspondent. Fire Natasha!
A CNN spokesperson responded to the controversy, asserting the network’s support for Bertrand. They mentioned, “The report underscored findings that might evolve with further intelligence. We’ve thoroughly covered President Trump’s skepticism.” Additionally, they defended the professionalism of their reporters in accurately reporting assessments that serve the public interest.
