CNN reporter Erin Burnett raised eyebrows when she claimed that Iranians who call for the demise of the US are friendly.
Viewers were left stunned when the journalist made the remarks during an exchange with anchor Dana Bash.
Burnett recalled a moment when she was in the Iranian capital Tehran, surrounded by protesters chanting “death to America.”
“They’re chanting death to America all around me even as I say ‘I’m an American reporting for CNN’ and they were happy to speak to me,” she added.
“Those two are sort of jarring realities of the chant and yet the friendliness have existed together.”
Burnett has been widely ridiculed online following the remarks.
“Bizarre,” one viewer wrote on X.
“Hey there! Nice to meet you. Death to America. So Friendly.”
“Excuse me, what now?” another mocked.
One critic labeled Burnett outrageous for making the remarks, while others claimed her statement was insane and dumb.
Burnett’s soundbite featured during a segment of Fox News star Bret Baier’s Special Report program on June 24.
“I don’t know,” Baier quipped.
“The death to America friendliness, I’m not sure,” he said as he gesticulated with his arms.
Burnett and Bash were discussing the idea of regime change.
Trump touted the idea of regime change in a Truth Social post on Sunday night.
“It’s not considered politically correct to use the term ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn’t a regime change occur?” he inquired.
Where could the Ayatollah hide?
By Henry Holloway, Deputy Foreign Editor
IRAN’S supreme leader has scurried away to an underground bunker in a Tehran suburb amid threats to his life.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is believed to be cowering away in the secret lair as Israeli missile attacks rain down nearby.
But where could he go if he flees?
Iran’s list of allies is limited – and the most likely contender for a bolthole would likely be provided by Russia.
Vladimir Putin offered his deposed pal Bashar al-Assad an exit route when the Syrian regime collapsed in 2024.
He is now believed to be living out his days with his family quietly in Moscow.
And if the Ayatollah decides his future is untenable, the Russian route could be open.
Putin had maintained a certain distance from Iran; however, following a friendly meeting in Moscow barely 24 hours after Trump’s military strikes, it appears their relationship might experience a revival.
Iran and Russia also signed a “partnership” agreement back in January to draw close ties between the two nations.
Another contender for an exit could be North Korea – as the isolated state is believed to have helped Iran develop its missiles.
Trump had previously warned of the chaos that regime change could cause as he answered a question from the Reuters reporter Jeff Mason.
On Saturday, a fleet of B-2 jets launched from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, conducting a mission that involved dropping bunker-buster bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Six bunker busters were dropped on the Fordow facility, while 30 Tomahawk missiles targeted the Natanz and Isfahan bases.
The bunker buster can cut through 200 feet of rock before exploding.
Top government officials boasted about the apparent success of the raid, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer.
Trump claimed Iran’s nuclear facilities had been obliterated.
‘OVERWHELMING SUCCESS’
And, Pete Hegseth, Trump’s defense secretary, described the mission as an “overwhelming success.”
Trump also warned of the consequences if Iran retailiated.
Iran launched missiles at US bases in Qatar, but there were no fatalities in what was a staged and coordinated response.
Trump claimed Iran’s response was “very weak” and he actually thanked Tehran for giving the US advance notice of the strikes.
“There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction,” Trump posted on Truth.
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done.”
Trump revealed that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had been struck before blasting both sides.
Missiles were exchanged on Tuesday, infuriating Trump.
Blasting Israel and Iran, Trump claimed both sides didn’t know what the f**k they were doing.
Trump shared a video of B2 planes dropping bombs, which featured the song “Bomb Iran” by the group Vince Vance & The Valiants.
The president had warned Iran to make peace quickly following the bombing mission.
American cities were put on alert as fears surrounding how Iran could’ve responded to the attacks mounted.
