For 24 hours, the media provided intense coverage of an ABC News allegation that Donald Trump discussed sensitive nuclear submarine information with a billionaire member of his Mara-a-Lago club. There is no evidence the story is true.
After ABC ‘News” reported the story, it was parroted on CNN, the New York Times, the New York Post, the Hill, ABC News, Al Jazeera, the Seattle Times, The Washington Post, Business Insider Mexico, the Big News Network, and TV news.
Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper eagerly torched Donald Trump on air without knowing if any of the leaked information was accurate.
Esper made the rounds and said, “It’s just another example of him being careless, if not reckless, with our most sensitive secrets.”
Catherine Herridge asked Esper what the potential ripple effects could be. Esper responded, “With each telling of the story, people get far less concerned about being discreet or protecting information.”
He didn’t, for a second, even wonder if the information was accurate. He certainly didn’t care that the information came from anonymous sources.
The Story
“As the story goes, the former US president reportedly discussed sensitive information with an Australian billionaire, Anthony Pratt, at his Florida country club.
Allegedly, in April 2021, three months after Trump left Office, Donald Trump shared nuclear submarine secrets with Mr. Pratt. The discussion included references to how many warheads US submarines carry and how close they can get to a Russian vessel without being detected.
ABC News reported on Thursday that Pratt allegedly shared that information with more than a dozen Australian officials, journalists, and some of his employees, the outlet said.
Big News Network reported that ABC conceded that they didn’t know if Trump‘s comments about the submarines were accurate, nor did the outlet sources claim that the information was classified. However, US prosecutors and FBI agents interviewed Pratt at least twice this year about his conversation with Trump, and investigators told the businessman not to spread the information any further because it was potentially sensitive.
CBS News is now reporting that there is no truth to the allegations, and there is no proof – no truth, no proof.
Kathryn Herridge of CBS News posted a video clip on X to report that there is no indication former President Trump shared sensitive records with an Australian billionaire, and the special counsel has filed no charges, though their alleged discussion about US nuclear subs was investigated.
NOPE, NOT TRUE
On TruthSocial, a spokesman for the president called the new claims false and ridiculous. Sources tell CBS News that there is no indication Donald Trump showed Pratt sensitive records, and the special counsel did not bring charges.”
This was another false story, possibly a leak from the government, and it had no truth to it, but it created a roughly 24-hour news cycle denigrating Donald Trump.
Many people will think it is accurate because the news reporters never self-correct; if they do, they barely give it a footnote and are never held accountable.
Even Catherine Herridge waited until the end to spill the truth in the clip below. People could easily miss it.
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