Trump Blasts ‘Fake News’ Media Amidst Escalating Tensions with Iran

President Donald Trump has sharply criticized what he terms the “fake news” media, asserting that certain outlets are actively wishing for the United States to falter in its military engagement with Iran. Speaking during an interview on Monday with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump defended the ongoing military actions and signaled the potential for further strikes against Tehran.

Accusations of Media Bias

Trump contended that Iran’s military capabilities have been significantly weakened, yet the narrative presented by some media organizations remains overly favorable to the Iranian regime. “All they do is talk and they have fake press. They do very well with the fake press, but because the fake news wants us to lose,” Trump stated, expressing frustration with the perceived media slant.

The President specifically targeted The New York Times, alleging that the newspaper recently published a report suggesting Iran was in a stronger geopolitical and military position than before the commencement of U.S.-Israeli operations. Trump countered this assertion by highlighting Iran’s perceived lack of conventional military strength, stating, “It’s not even, I mean, The New York Times, they actually said a week ago — I can’t imagine they say it now, but think of it. They have no Navy, have no Air Force, have no anything. They have no military, they have nothing.”

Further elaborating on his critique of Iran’s economic situation, Trump pointed to what he described as soaring inflation within the country. He cited figures suggesting inflation had surged dramatically, from 5% to 301%, and contrasted this with the newspaper’s reporting. “And the Times said, and their inflation, by the way, just hit 301%, from 5%. They said, ‘Oh, they’re in better shape now than they were four months ago before I started,’” Trump recounted, questioning the accuracy of the report.

Trump did not specify the exact article or author from The New York Times that he was referencing.

Threat of Further Military Action

Amidst ongoing exchanges of missile and drone attacks between the U.S. and Iran, President Trump issued a stern warning about impending American retaliatory strikes. “We’re going to hit them very hard tonight, and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow, and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it,” he declared.

Potential Target: Pickaxe Mountain

The President specifically mentioned “Pickaxe Mountain,” a heavily fortified underground complex located near Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility, as a potential target for significant military action. “Pickaxe is a possible, you know, a possible target for a nice big fat shot right near the front door,” Trump remarked.

Trump asserted that U.S. surveillance assets were monitoring the site and indicated that Iran had not resumed nuclear development activities there. “We’re watching it closely. We see no activity there. They’re not doing well with their nuclear. Every time we hear about it, we blow it up, so they don’t like talking about it, but we’ll probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon,” he added.

According to reporting from Reuters, Pickaxe Mountain comprises two deep underground tunnel complexes that some experts believe might be beyond the destructive capabilities of even the most powerful bunker-busting munitions in the U.S. military’s inventory. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have reportedly never been granted access to the facility. However, satellite imagery analysis from late June indicated vehicle movement near the western tunnel entrances and suggested ongoing construction or fortification work.

Concerns Over Nuclear Proliferation

President Trump also voiced strong reservations about Iran’s potential acquisition of nuclear weapons, stating, “And frankly, if they ever had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it within one day.”

Naval Blockade Resumes

The President’s comments coincided with an announcement from U.S. Central Command regarding the resumption of its blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports. The military clarified that humanitarian shipments would be permitted passage but cautioned that force could be employed against any ships failing to adhere to the blockade regulations.