President Donald Trump tweeted that CNN, among other news organizations, is 'fake news.' | AP Photo Trump blasts CNN as ‘fake news’ after it retracts story

CNN’s decision to retract a story published last week tying a member of President Donald Trump’s transition team to ongoing Russia investigations offered the president an opportunity Tuesday morning to attack perhaps his favorite media target, which he labeled “fake news” and questioned for publishing “phony stories.”

The story in question, published late last week, reported that the Senate Intelligence Committee was investigating the head of a Russian investment fund who met before the inauguration with Anthony Scaramucci, a financier and high-profile member of Trump’s transition team. CNN also reported that the Senate committee was looking into whether or not Scaramucci had suggested that sanctions against Russia might soon be lifted.


In addition to the story’s retraction, three CNN employees, including a Pulitzer Prize-winner, resigned from the company.

“Wow, CNN had to retract big story on "Russia," with 3 employees forced to resign. What about all the other phony stories they do? FAKE NEWS!” Trump wrote on Twitter Tuesday morning. "Fake News CNN is looking at big management changes now that they got caught falsely pushing their phony Russian stories. Ratings way down!" he added in a subsequent post.

Beyond bashing CNN, the president quickly pivoted to two other media foes, writing online that "They caught Fake News CNN cold, but what about NBC, CBS & ABC? What about the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost? They are all Fake News!"

While Trump took the retraction as an opportunity to attack CNN, Scaramucci himself, who does not hold a role inside the White House but still makes occasional television appearances in support of the president, was more conciliatory.

"CNN did the right thing. Classy move. Apology accepted. Everyone makes mistakes. Moving on,” Scaramucci wrote on Twitter Saturday.

