We examine the deepening divide in US media amid the war with Iran. The Trump administration intensifies attacks on mainstream outlets, accusing them of spreading “fake news” and undermining war messaging, while Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters “you’re either informing the people of the truth or you’re not.” Trust in traditional media has sharply declined—from around 70% in the late 1970s to just 28% last year—while social media overtook television as Americans’ top news source for the first time, with 54% of people now getting news online.