Jake Tapper offered a robust defense of CNN and his colleagues — including Kaitlan Collins — following a verbal attack from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and state department official Dylan Johnson. Tapper insisted accusations fired off by Leavitt and Johnson are little more than “baseless smears.”
Tapper began the segment on Friday’s “The Lead” by acknowledging the weight of the Trump administration’s military strikes on Iran. “Of course, part of acknowledging the seriousness of taking a country into war is recognizing the immense importance of telling the truth to the American people,” the CNN anchor explained.
He added: “But instead, we are seeing this administration lob baseless smears and accusations against anyone who dares to question them. CNN’s Fred Pleitgen along with his photojournalist Claudio Otto are bravely reporting from inside Iran.”
As Tapper went on, he praised the news network for being the first from the U.S. to report from inside the country since the start of the war.
“These are two incredibly courageous, honest journalists [Pleitgen and Otto] taking a big risk to bring the world reports from inside a war zone to show the world what it looks like,” he said. “They’re not advocating for the Iranian government. They’re just showing the world what Iran looks like.”
Tapper particularly took umbrage with the Trump administration’s response to the on-the-ground-reporting.
“But the Trump administration apparently finds they’re reporting something to be attacked,” Tapper added. “Dylan Johnson, who’s, I suppose an assistant secretary for the State Department, he wrote on X, ‘CNN, appears to now be doing straight up pro-Iran regime propaganda because someone gave this guy a coffee.’” Watch his full commentary below.
CNN also released a statement in defense of Pleitgen on Friday, saying the reporter “is providing valuable insight for CNN’s audiences, adding to our wider reporting that features multiple perspectives from civilians, opposition voices, as well as officials, alongside raw photos and video capturing what Iran is like today.”
Of course, CNN isn’t the only news network to feel the heat from the White House amid questions over Iran. This week at the White House College Sports Roundtable, Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy attempted to ask Trump about Russia’s involvement in a possible retaliation from Iran.
“I have a lot of respect for you. You’ve always been very nice to me,” Trump said to the Fox News reporter. “What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time. We’re talking about something else.”
Doocy was referencing a Washington Post exclusive from Friday that alleged Russia gave intelligence to Iran about the location of U.S. forces.
“It sounds like the Russians are helping Iran target and attack Americans now,” Doocy started before Trump cut him off.
“That’s an easy problem compared to what we’re doing here,” Trump cut in.
