As I’ve noted many times, these people are not journalists, but propagandists. They’re not reporting the news, they’re pushing a narrative. They want their readers to hate Israel, and don’t care about falsifying the record in order to achieve that effect.
“Washington Post Reporters Falsify a Trump Quote to Manufacture an Anti-Israel Narrative,” by David Gerstman, CAMERA, July 9, 2026:
In a July 2 article at The Washington Post (“U.S. warned Iran about Israel’s aims to assassinate leaders”), a falsified quote is used to advance a narrative of strain between the Trump administration and Israel. Authors John Hudson and Ellen Nakashima reported that the United States feared that Israel might assassinate senior Iranian leaders Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who have been involved in ceasefire negotiations with the U.S.
The report portrays the United States as having to restrain an out-of-control Israel. Citing “current and former officials familiar with the matter,” “a diplomat” and “analysts,” the reporting purport to show that Israeli efforts to kill Iran’s leadership undermined the Trump administration’s efforts to reach a peace deal with Iran. They attempt to support their thinly supported thesis with a few tactics.
But a key piece of evidence is, in fact, a doctored quote. The authors claim:
In March, President Donald Trump suggested publicly that Israel’s assassination campaign was complicating efforts to negotiate with the regime. “You know it’s a little tough,” he told reporters at the time. “They’ve wiped out everybody. I don’t want them to be killed.’’ (Emphasis added)
Trump did, indeed, utter those words, but not together. The authors spliced together two sentences uttered by President Trump in response to two separate questions as if they were part of one cohesive statement. Worse, they omit words in between that entirely contradicted the narrative they advanced.
Here’s what President Trump actually said. In response to a question as to who Steve Witkoff, the administration’s special envoy, was talking to in Iran, President Trump responded:
A top — a top person. Don’t forget, we’ve wiped out the leadership phase one, phase two, and largely phase three. But we’re dealing with a man who I believe is the most respected and the leader. You know, it’s a little tough. They’ve wiped out — we’ve wiped out everybody. (Emphasis added.)
In an apparent attempt to falsify the quote to suggest President Trump was talking only about Israel, The Washington Post omitted the words “we’ve wiped out” from the middle of the first sentence. Rather than showing American frustration with Israel, the full sentence suggests U.S. and Israeli interests were aligned.
The authors then portray the second sentence, “I don’t want them to be killed,” as if it was uttered immediately after the first (clipped) sentence. In fact, that remark came in response to a different question that came after another entire question and answer exchange.
After answering a question about the status of the Iranian supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Trump was then asked whether he could say where the discussions are taking place. The president responded:
I can’t. I can’t, because I don’t want them to be killed. OK? I don’t want them to be killed. (Emphasis added.)
Hudson and Nakashima effectively doctored a quote, cutting out separate parts and mashing them together to create a Frankenstein’s Monster quote….
Namer says
Time for another lawsuit and also prosecution of these people.
Westman says
This is the kind of falsehood that Alex Jones would push and his led to a costly judgement which Jones does not have.
Did Fox News get sued over Tucker Carlson’s claims?
Didn’t Trump just get a judgement from CBS?
Could Israel and the US jointly sue the WaPo? And, of course, Bezos does have the money – just ask Mamdani who has made it his business to know.
Garrett N Glaser says
I’m not certain if my earlier comment made it to you so I’ll repeat it here.
I think it’s a stretch to say that all of the journalists at the post do this or that. it’s more likely only a few are looking to propagandize. most of them are simply trying to organize an awful lot of information that comes in each day and sometimes, under deadline pressure, “pull up” two quotes so they flow more easily. In any case, Mr. Spencer, please continue your important work!
gravenimage says
This article *never said* that all journalists at the Washington Post do this–just that these writers did. Why lie?
Garrett N Glaser says
Heres what it said:
Washington Post reporters falsify a Trump quote to demonize Israel
JUL 11, 2026 5:00 PM BY ROBERT SPENCER. As I’ve noted many times, these people are not journalists, but propagandists. They’re not reporting the news, they’re pushing a narrative. They want their readers to hate Israel, and don’t care about falsifying the record in order to achieve that effect.
Clearly, theallefation is way too broad. It should be limited to only those who did the story. And before you call me a liar, learn how to be civil. People like you are the problem online.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Here, when Trump said that he doesn’t want them killed, he more likely than not meant killed by the IRGC members opposed to negotiations. Since the negotiations, there have been increasing attacks on Ghalibaf and Araghchi, to the point that they require security details from those members. While Israel does have its own targets, their targets have mainly been IRGC or Basij personnel. If they wanted to take out Ghalibaf, Araghchi or Pezeshkian, they’d have done that weeks ago, before these negotiations
Yeah, WaPo is not to be trusted, but even w/o that, if one just looks at the comments by themselves, it leaves the impression that POTUS was being deliberately vague. But if one thinks about it, the main threats to the ☫ negotiators come from those islamic republicans who still support the regime, as opposed to the 80+% who want it gone
gravenimage says
Washington Post reporters falsify a Trump quote to demonize Israel
…………………………………………………
Just sickening–and clearly they thought the paper would be fine with these falsehoods.
Brenrod says
Too many reporters are falsifying the news, and then they whine for sympathy when shot in battle. Those who spread lies that murder innocents are legitimate targets. Lies that incite folks to murder are punishable by death.