‘Virtual TREASON’: Trump takes dig at media over Iran war coverage

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) sharply attacked the media for what he called news that reflected Iran as doing well. He reiterated the claims of the Iranian military being completely demolished, the country bereft of leaders and called it an ‘economic disaster’.

He made the latest slew of remarks in a post on Truth Social and slammed the press for “aiding and abetting” by giving “false hope” to Iran.

“When the Fake News says that the Iranian enemy is doing well, Militarily, against us, it’s virtual TREASON in that it is such a false, and even preposterous, statement. They are aiding and abetting the enemy! All it does is give Iran false hope when none should exist. These are American cowards that are rooting against our Country,” he said.

Trump claimed that Iran had 159 ships in their Navy, every single ship of which has drowned at sea. “They have no Navy, their Air Force is gone, all Technology is gone, their “leaders” are no longer with us, and the Country is an Economic Disaster. Only Losers, Ingrates, and Fools are able to make a case against America!”, Trump said.

US President Donald Trump, on Truth Social, posts: “When the Fake News says that the Iranian enemy is doing well, Militarily, against us, it’s virtual TREASON in that it is such a false, and even preposterous, statement. They are aiding and abetting the enemy! All it does is give… pic.twitter.com/jBz4CqSkBF

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

The post comes as Trump is enroute to Beijing for the much-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Earlier, while speaking to the media before departing for China, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) again claimed that the Iranian military has been decimated and that the US is going to win the war “peacefully or otherwise”.

When asked if he looks for an intervention by Chinese President Xi Jinping with the Iranians, Trump said, “No, I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or the other. We’ll win it peacefully or otherwise. Their Navy’s gone, their Air Force is gone, every single element of their war machine is gone.”

He added, responding to another question on Iran, saying that the country is defeated militarily and that, “They’ll either do the right thing or we’ll finish the job”. The US President also termed the blockade as “100% effective”.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday slammed the United States and called the lack of faith in Washington’s actions the biggest impediment to peace, as reported by Press TV. According to the Iranian state broadcaster, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the remarks in talks with Norway’s deputy foreign minister during a meeting in Tehran.

Araghchi decried the arrogant approach and the threatening, provocative rhetoric of the American side and added that the “lack of good faith and dishonesty of the United States is the most significant obstacle to a definitive end to the war.” The Iranian Foreign Minister called the US and Israel’s military aggression against Iran the main cause and origin of the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz and subsequently, the repeated violation of the ceasefire through the continued blockade of Iran’s maritime ports. (ANI)