President Donald Trump on May 18, 2026, criticized major US news outlets in a Truth Social post, asserting they would frame even a total Iranian military surrender as a “masterful and brilliant victory” for Iran over the United States. The statement detailed a hypothetical scenario of Iran’s complete defeat including destruction of its navy and air force and signing of surrender documents by its leaders. It came amid ongoing negotiations for a peace deal following the outbreak of conflict earlier in the year, according to reports from multiple outlets.
The Arab Times reported that the post employed highly critical language toward Iranian leadership and organizations including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and CNN. Trump characterized these entities as part of the “fake news media” that had lost its way. The message quickly gained attention for its confrontational tone as it blended foreign policy commentary with domestic media criticism.
In the detailed post, Trump described conditions under which Iran would admit its navy was at the bottom of the sea, its air force no longer existed and its military surrendered en masse while waving white flags. “If Iran surrenders, admits their Navy is gone and resting at the bottom of the sea, and their Air Force is no longer with us, and if their entire Military walks out of Tehran, weapons dropped and hands held high, each shouting ‘I surrender, I surrender’ while wildly waving the representative White Flag, and if their entire remaining Leadership signs all necessary ‘Documents of Surrender,’ and admit their defeat to the great power and force of the magnificent U.S.A., The Failing New York Times, The China Street Journal (WSJ!), Corrupt and now Irrelevant CNN, and all other members of the Fake News Media, will headline that Iran had a Masterful and Brilliant Victory over The United States of America, it wasn’t even close,” Trump stated. He concluded by saying the Democrats and media have totally lost their way and gone absolutely crazy.
CBS News reported that the post was issued 80 days into a war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. At the time, both sides were engaged in haggling over a framework for a potential peace deal. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf had just returned from Qatar where he sought to secure the release of 24 billion dollars in frozen funds.
A report from Democracy Now indicated that Iranian authorities had partially restored internet access following a nationwide blackout lasting nearly three months. The negotiations were ongoing with signals from Tehran about a possible ceasefire. Trump had separately claimed that a potential peace deal had been largely negotiated but required finalization.
According to a CNN analysis published in June 2026, Trump had been crafting narratives around the Iran situation for months, repeatedly stating a deal was imminent while downplaying provocations. He had relaxed deadlines and walked back threats on several occasions. The May social media message aligned with this pattern of communication.
Iran International noted that the president argued US media would depict Iran’s surrender as a defeat for America despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The post highlighted perceived biases in coverage of his administration’s foreign policy. Such statements underscored the polarized discourse surrounding US involvement in the Middle East conflict.
