You know that the Elitist Media have a hard time reporting on the military operation in Iran when a supposed war roundup gets a couple of sentences on the war and then two minutes of seemingly everything else. That’s exactly what happened at ABC when it came time to report on the ongoing U.S. naval blockade against Iran.
Watch the report in its entirety, as aired on ABC World News Tonight on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026:
A demoralized ABC offers two sentences on the blockade and throws everything else into its supposed Iran war roundup. Note the omission of oil or stock markets. pic.twitter.com/3Gw4ezU71m
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) April 15, 2026
DAVID MUIR: There are also breaking developments in the war in Iran. President Trump's high-stakes U.S. naval blockade with the cost of gas $4.10 a gallon here in the U.S., up $1.16 since the start of the war. Tonight, the President says new talks with Iran could come in days. And President Trump tonight lashing out at Pope Leo again, and what he's saying now. Ian Pannell from the region again tonight.
IAN PANNELL: Tonight, that high-stakes U.S. naval blockade of all Iranian ports is holding. U.S. Central Command saying no ships got past the blockade in the first 24 hours, and six merchant vessels were turned around. The U.S. hoping to choke Iran's oil income to force concessions in peace talks. And tonight, President Trump signaling a second round of negotiations could be happening soon, along with a deal. The President telling our Jon Karl, quote: “I think you're going to be watching an amazing two days ahead.”
The President's made similar predictions at other points during this war. And the President also tonight lashing out at Pope Leo again to an Italian newspaper saying the Pope has no idea what's going on with Iran. Trump ally Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni slamming the President's criticism of the Pontiff as, quote, “unacceptable.” And she's joined other U.S. allies that have refused to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The President blasting Meloni, telling that Italian newspaper “I'm shocked by her. I thought she had courage, I was wrong.” Trump also criticizing NATO allies for not helping with the war effort as he looks increasingly isolated. Another of his key allies, Viktor Orban of Hungary, who was close with Vladimir Putin, now voted out of office, some voters saying it's a return to democratic values.
And the Lebanese and Israeli governments holding the first direct talks in decades in Washington, both agreeing to more talks.
MARCO RUBIO: This is more than just one day. This will take time, but we believe it is worth this endeavor.
PANNELL: David, this blockade squeezing Iran's economy. But U.S. gas prices still high at $4.10 a gallon. That's up $1.16 since the start of the war. And that means pressure on The White House, too, to get a deal done and get that oil flowing again.
MUIR: Ian Pannell from the region again. Ian, thank you.
The first thing you’ll notice is that the report was bracketed with mentions of high gas prices at home- negative bookends in order to transfix the viewer’s mind on the domestic politics side of the war. It bears noting that ABC did NOT mention that the Dow Jones went up, or that oil prices dropped on news of the blockade holding.
Next, two sentences devoted to the conflict in Iran. There is an update on the naval blockade- it’s holding. Then there is the mention of a second potential round of talks in Islamabad. That’s it.
At this point the report got away from the war and became about everything else. Correspondent Ian Pannell threw in the story about President Trump’s ongoing social media beef with Pope Leo XIV. Pannell cites a recent newspaper article discussing President Trump’s criticisms of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni. Pannell calls Trump “isolated”, then darts to the results of the Hungarian election.
Pannell mentions the Israel-Lebanon summit, which is at least somewhat related to the Iran war, before wrapping with one final mention of high domestic gas prices. This was a report that was far more about the politics of the war than about the war itself. And it showed.
