Donald Trump, Kristi Noem vow to prosecute CNN over ICE tracking app and 'false' Iran strike coverage

OCHOPEE, FLORIDA: President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are vowing legal action against CNN, accusing the network of unlawful reporting during a press conference at a new migrant detention center in Florida on July 1. 

Their criticism centers on CNN’s recent coverage of a controversial app that tracks ICE agents, as well as its reporting on the limited impact of US airstrikes on Iran. Noem stated that the administration is working with former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to explore prosecution, claiming the network’s actions are illegal, in their view.

Kristi Noem and Donald Trump say they are exploring prosecution of CNN for its ‘false reports’

While visiting the newly unveiled migrant detention center in the Everglades, a reporter off-camera asked, “Mr President and Madam Secretary, CNN yesterday pushed an app that lets you track where ICE agents are. Tom Homan was saying that perhaps CNN should be prosecuted for that as obstruction of law enforcement. Your response?”

According to the video shared by 'Republicans against Trump' on X, Secretary Noem responded first: “Yeah, we’re working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them for that. Because what they’re doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement activities, operations, and we’re going to actually go after them and prosecute with the partnership of Pam [Bondi] if we can, because what they are doing we believe is illegal.”

Trump followed up quickly, “And they may very well be prosecuted also for having given false reports on the attack in Iran. They were given totally false reports. It was totally obliterated." 

He continued, "And our people have to be celebrated, not come home and say, 'What do you mean we didn’t hit the target?' We hit the target quickly. You know, the pilots came home, they said we hit the target quickly. So they may very well be prosecuted for that. What they did there, we think, is totally illegal.”

He then motioned to continue the tour, saying cheerfully, “Okay, let’s go. Follow us.”

Internet enraged at CNN over their false reports

As the video of Donald Trump and Kristi Noem’s press conference at the migrant detention center—where they condemned CNN’s false reports and vowed to prosecute—circulated online, the internet quickly responded with a wave of reactions.

One user commented, "Good.  Arrest the heads of CNN and the producers who allowed it."

Another shared, "Democrats are going to learn to quit fn around."

One person suggested, "Revoke CNN license."

A user added, "Yea. Let’s see them do this so the real truth comes out. Please Pammy, make it happen."

Another commenter shared, "CNN will still normalize the nonsense."

Another user shared a message for CNN, "Dear @CNN You are in the FIND OUT stage. You have ZERO friends from your former viewers who BEGGED you to stop treating Trump like a fucking rock star. Your greed led you right here. I hope Trump imprisons you."

CNN’s spokesperson defends the report

CNN’s coverage of the ICE-tracking app stemmed from a segment aired Monday, during which anchor John Berman described the tool as “controversial, to say the least.” He spoke with technology correspondent Clare Duffy, who had interviewed the developer behind the app, as per Mediaite.

In response to mounting backlash and legal threats, a CNN spokesperson defended the report, stating, “This is an app that is publicly available to any iPhone user who wants to download it. There is nothing illegal about reporting the existence of this or any other app, nor does such reporting constitute promotion or other endorsement of the app by CNN.”

Notably, Trump has previously floated the idea of suing CNN over its coverage of a leaked, yet authenticated, Pentagon assessment indicating that recent US airstrikes on an Iranian nuclear facility may have delayed Iran’s nuclear development by only a few months, not the long-term setback the administration initially suggested.

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.