CNN's Erin Burnett sparks outrage as she says Iranians chanting 'death to America' are 'friendly'

WASHINGTON, DC: CNN anchor Erin Burnett shared a personal anecdote during a live broadcast from the Middle East that highlighted the complex and sometimes contradictory mood among Iranians toward the United States.

Speaking from the United Arab Emirates amid coverage of the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Burnett reflected on a past reporting trip to Tehran where, despite a crowd loudly chanting “Death to America”, she was warmly received as an American journalist.

CNN’s Erin Burnett recalls contradictory Iran encounter

“I remember at one point being in Tehran years ago,” Erin Burnett said during an appearance on 'Inside Politics with Dana Bash', “and they’re chanting ‘Death to America’ all around me, even as I say, ‘Oh, I’m an American, reporting for CNN.’ And they were happy to speak to me. So those two jarring realities of the chant and yet, the friendliness have existed together.”

The phrase “Death to America”, long used by Iranian leaders in public rhetoric, was cited by President Donald Trump as one of the driving reasons behind his decision to authorize Saturday’s airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Donald Trump blasts CNN, defends B-2 pilots after Iran strikes

President Donald Trump wasted no time pouncing on Erin Burnett’s comments and CNN’s broader coverage of his administration’s recent military action.

Speaking Tuesday morning outside the White House, Trump accused the network of downplaying the effectiveness of the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and failing to support the military.

“For 40 years, Iran has been saying, ‘Death to America. Death to Israel,’” Trump said. “They’ve been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over a thousand people, and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate in particular.”

Donald Trump lashed out at CNN reporters, slamming them as “gutless losers.” 

Trump, clearly irked by the network’s framing of the strikes, lashed out, “When I see CNN all night long, they're trying to say, ‘Well, maybe it wasn’t really as demolished as we thought.’ It was demolished. You take a look at the pinpricks, and you see that place is gone. And I will say, I think CNN ought to apologize to the pilots of the B-2s. I think MSDNC ought to apologize. Cable networks are real losers.”

Internet erupts after Erin Burnett calls Iranians chanting ‘Death to America’ ‘friendly’

CNN anchor Erin Burnett’s recent remarks describing Iranians chanting “Death to America” as “friendly” have triggered a tidal wave of online backlash, with critics accusing the network of downplaying hostility and embracing anti-American rhetoric.

One user commented, “Or, they understand that you aren't really American because you also hate America. You are on the same side as them.”

Another wrote, “I can’t believe she actually said this aloud.”

Some users sarcastically questioned the network’s loyalty with one saying, “Because when you announce you're from CNN, they know you're not really an American.”

“CNN has also been chanting Death to America in its own way,” one wrote.

Others took direct aim at the network's credibility, “@CNN these two clowns are not journalists.”

And one post read bluntly, “So let’s send her there to meet her friends.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.