On Tuesday, President Donald Trump declared that an investigation will be initiated into CNN after the network seemingly endorsed a smartphone application that enables users to report activities conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, allowing others to evade its agents.
The segment aired on Monday, during which correspondent Clare Duffy detailed how a tech entrepreneur playfully aimed to “alert” users about ICE without disrupting the operations of the immigration agency.
A brief interview with founder Joshua Aaron generated considerable attention within the executive branch shortly thereafter, as U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, White House border czar Tom Homan, and Trump Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller all criticized the network for “openly assisting invaders and insurrectionists in undermining ICE.”
Noem, who appeared alongside Trump on Tuesday, confirmed that the DHS is examining the legality of the anti-ICE application.
“Good idea,” Trump seemed to respond when a reporter inquired if Noem concurred with Homan’s assertion that CNN should be “prosecuted” for its report.
“We are collaborating with the Department of Justice to determine if we can take legal action against them for that, as their actions are actively encouraging individuals to evade law enforcement activities and operations. We will pursue them and prosecute them… if feasible, because we believe their actions are unlawful,” Noem elaborated.
President Trump was eager to remind the reporter that he maintains CNN produced a “false report” implying that his bombing of Iran did not significantly impede the nation’s nuclear enrichment efforts.
“They were disseminating completely false reports,” he claimed. “They may indeed face prosecution for that.”
Illegal immigration has become a contentious issue between the Trump administration and media outlets such as CNN, which frequently provide favorable coverage of individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants and arrested by ICE. The network was one of many to imply that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, referred to as a ‘Maryland man,’ was an otherwise innocent and diligent illegal immigrant prior to his prosecution on human trafficking charges.
Similarly, CNN’s exclusive coverage regarding Iran has also caused frustration for the president. During a NATO summit last week, he specifically addressed correspondent Kaitlan Collins, questioning her publicly in front of a full audience about why she and her network had ‘disrespected’ American troops through their reporting.
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Other members of Trump’s close circle indicated their determination to investigate all legal avenues to terminate the app that enables users to report the whereabouts of ICE agents, allowing others within a 5-mile radius to avoid them.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Fox News that her office is contemplating the possibility of filing charges against Aaron, the app’s creator.
‘Our ICE agents, along with all federal agents collaborating on these task forces — our federal agents from the Justice Department could be at risk,’ Bondi stated on Monday during ‘Hannity.’
‘He is sending a signal to criminals regarding the locations of our federal officers. This is unacceptable. We are monitoring the situation, we are scrutinizing him, and he should be cautious, as this does not constitute protected speech. It endangers the lives of our law enforcement personnel across the nation.’