Through lectures, scoldings and outright threats, President Donald Trump and his aides are ratcheting up the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants.

Like a mad dog with a bone, the Trump administration won’t let it go with CNN today over the channel’s coverage of the ongoing war with Iran

CNN stood by its reporting on Iran Friday as officials from the Trump White House continued to decry "fake news!" "We stand by our journalism," CEO Mark Thompson said in a statement, emphasizing, "Politicians have an obvious motive for claiming that journalism which raises questions about their decisions is false.

The Trump administration continues to grapple with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has spiked oil and gas prices.

Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr is threatening to revoke networks’ broadcast licences if they do not positively cover Trump’s war in Iran. The Trump administration has been obsessive over headlines portraying the war in an unfavorable light.

He also warned that NATO faces a “very bad future” if US allies fail to assist in securing the crucial waterway.

The president and defense secretary have each heaped praise on Larry and David Ellison as the Justice Department reviews Paramount Skydance’s Warner Bros. deal.

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