President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that authorities will open an investigation into CNN after the network aired a segment promoting a smartphone app designed to alert users about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity—potentially helping individuals avoid detection by federal agents.
The segment aired Monday and featured correspondent Clare Duffy, who described the app as a tongue-in-cheek effort by a tech entrepreneur to “alert” users without directly interfering with ICE operations.
However, a brief interview with the app’s founder, Joshua Aaron, quickly triggered outrage within the executive branch. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, White House border czar Tom Homan, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller blasted CNN, accusing the network of “openly helping invaders and insurrectionists sabotage ICE.”
Speaking alongside Trump on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that DHS has launched an investigation into the legality of the anti-ICE app. “Good idea,” Trump appeared to say after a reporter asked Noem if she agreed with Homan that CNN should be “prosecuted” for its story.
“We’re working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them for that, because what they’re doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement, activities, operations, and we’re going to actually go after them and prosecute them… if we can, because we believe what they’re doing is illegal,” Noem added.
Trump was quick to remind the reporter that he still stands by his claim that CNN aired a “false report” downplaying the impact of his bombing campaign on Iran’s nuclear enrichment efforts. “They were giving totally false reports,” he asserted. “They may very well be prosecuted for that.”
Other members of Trump’s inner circle made clear they intend to pursue every legal avenue to shut down the app, which lets users report the locations of ICE agents, alerting others within a five-mile radius to steer clear.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News that her office is reviewing whether to bring charges against the app’s founder, Aaron. “Our ICE agents, all of our federal agents who are working hand in hand on these task force[s] — our federal agents from the Justice Department could be injured,” Bondi said Monday on “Hannity.”
“He’s giving a message to criminals where our federal officers are. And he cannot do that. And we are looking at it, we are looking at him, and he better watch out, because that’s not protected speech. That is threatening the lives of our law enforcement officers throughout this country,” she added.
