Trump officials target media over Iran war reporting

FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke broadcasters' licenses over Iran war coverage, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth targeted CNN during a Friday briefing, saying "the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better." Hegseth criticized a CNN story citing sources who said the Trump administration underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, as Ellison's Paramount seeks to acquire CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal requiring administration approval. The threats come as Trump faces dismal polling on the Iran war and has taken credit for "reshaping" the American media landscape through intimidation and regulatory pressure. CNN CEO Mark Thompson defended the network's journalism, while First Amendment groups denounced Carr's warnings as "outrageous" government control of the press. Though legal experts say license revocation carries a high burden, broadcasters must apply for renewal at the end of their eight-year terms, giving regulators leverage through implicit threats of denying regulatory relief.