White House Pushes Back After CNN Broadcasts First Statement From Iran’s Leader

The White House’s “Rapid Response” team quickly went to work attacking CNN after the network broadcast the first public message from new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

The White House included a clip from CNN with part of the Iranian message in its attack.

“Mojtaba Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, in their first public speech, addressing the great nation of Iran and the brave fighters of Iran, the fatalities, those who were injured and also the address the leaders of some neighboring countries. The Islamic leader said that it has been very difficult to be the successor of Khamenei,” an Iranian news reader said in a CNN clip amplified by the White House’s social media account.

The White House responded by smearing the American network.

“Fake News CNN just aired four straight minutes of uninterrupted Iranian state TV, run by the same psychotic and murderous regime that has prided itself on brutally slaughtering Americans for 47 years,” a post by the “Rapid Response” team on X said.

Fake News CNN just aired four straight minutes of uninterrupted Iranian state TV, run by the same psychotic and murderous regime that has prided itself on brutally slaughtering Americans for 47 years. pic.twitter.com/npScTDRgUm

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 12, 2026