Washington : A fiery two-minute interview clip of President Donald Trump has triggered a nationwide media and free-speech storm after he accused CNN’s leadership of being “corrupt or incompetent” and hinted that he may push for the network’s forced sale, implying possible FCC intervention.
The leaked footage—tied to an internal memo on “fake news”—shows Trump gesturing emphatically as he declares, “They lie every night—time to end it! I will not allow them to operate this way.” The clip, posted by @CalltoActivism, quickly surged to more than 10,000 likes, igniting a flood of reactions across the political spectrum.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper blasted the remarks as “Dictator playbook 101,” while First Amendment groups, including the ACLU, warned that any attempt to pressure media companies into ownership changes would constitute a major threat to press freedom.
Conservative allies, including Tucker Carlson, praised the rant as overdue “accountability in media,” framing the controversy as part of a broader battle over misinformation and trust in news institutions.
The moment has fueled a wave of viral meme edits, including mashups with The Godfather and dramatic soundtrack overlays, now trending in 50 countries across X, TikTok, and Instagram. The episode adds to intensifying tensions between the White House and major news outlets as the 2026 election season accelerates.
