Pentagon chief says he’s eager for Trump ally to buy CNN as he blasts Iran war coverage

Paramount is making a US$110 billion (S$140 billion) deal to acquire CNN-parent Warner Bros. Read more at straitstimes.com.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on March 13 said he was eager to see Trump ally and Paramount Skydance chief executive officer David Ellison take over CNN, as he criticised the US news media’s coverage of the Iran war.

“The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,” said Mr Hegseth, a former Fox News show host and combat veteran, referring to Paramount’s US$110 billion (S$140 billion) deal to acquire CNN-parent Warner Bros.

On the war’s 14th day, Mr Hegseth criticised CNN’s reporting on the impact of Iran’s disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping passage, which has driven oil prices sharply higher and shaken the stock market.

Reuters/Ipsos polling has shown little public support for the war, which Americans fear will drive gasoline prices higher.

The Pentagon has restricted press access under Mr Hegseth, imposing policies that have led about 30 major news organisations, including Fox, the Washington Post and Reuters, to give up their credentials, with defence officials inviting in new outlets.

On March 13, CNN reported that the Pentagon and the White House’s National Security Council significantly underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the strait, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.