White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham blasted CNN for “irresponsible reporting” after the outlet indicated that President Trump would deliver an Oval Office address on the Iran attacks Tuesday evening.
CNN reported Tuesday that the president was planning to deliver a last-minute address after Iran launched over a dozen missiles targeting U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq.
CNN reported Tuesday evening, adding that the specific time of the rumored address was to be determined:
As President Trump confers with his top advisers tonight at the White House, aides are making urgent preparations at this hour for him to address the nation after Iran fired missiles at US forces in Iraq.
CNN added that officials were preparing a speech for the president to deliver on Tuesday, per “two officials.”
“Aides are making urgent preparations at this hour for Trump to address the nation, per @jeffzeleny,” CNN’s Kaitlin Collins tweeted.
“The specific timing TBD & could be delayed given we are still learning info but two officials say a speech is being prepared and plans are being made for Oval address,” she added:
Grisham, however, denied CNN’s “irresponsible” reports and added that “no one even attempted to confirm with the press office before tweeting” she claims.
Grisham wrote:
This is not true – was never true – & no one even attempted to confirm with the press office before tweeting. In a race to be first to break news, the public once again falls victim to irresponsible ‘reporting’ by @CNN @jeffzeleny @kaitlancollins:
CNN’s communications team responded, proclaiming that its reports were “100 percent accurate”:
The president tweeted following the attack and noted that an “assessment of casualties & damages” is currently taking place.
“So far, so good!” he wrote.
He is expected to make a statement Wednesday morning: