CNN fact-check: Trump made 'false', 'uncorroborated' claims on Iran, foreign policy

US President Donald Trump made a series of "false" and "uncorroborated" claims about the Iran conflict and his foreign policy record during a recent press conference, according to a fact check by CNN on Monday. CNN reported that Trump repeated a long-debunked claim that he had called for the killing of Osama bin Laden in a 2000 book. The book mentions bin Laden only in passing, and the al-Qaida leader was killed in a 2011 US operation ordered by then-President Barack Obama.

Aircraft losses

Trump also inaccurately claimed that most US aircraft losses in the Iran conflict were due to friendly fire. CNN reported that multiple aircraft were shot down by Iranian fire, including an F-15 and an A-10, while an E-3 surveillance plane was destroyed in a separate strike. The US has acknowledged losing two MC-130J aircraft, each costing over $100 million, during a rescue mission in Iran.

Other claims

The president further repeated a claim that he had "ended eight wars," which CNN said is false, noting some cited conflicts were not wars or did not end. Trump also renewed an unsubstantiated allegation that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro sent large numbers of prisoners to the US, a claim experts say has no evidence. Additionally, Trump overstated US troop levels in South Korea and repeated a false claim that former Vice President Kamala Harris never visited the US-Mexico border.

Verification issues

CNN said some of Trump's other assertions could also not be independently verified. The fact-check comes as Trump weighs whether to escalate military strikes on Iran or extend negotiations, with a Tuesday evening deadline for Iran to reach a deal or face attacks on bridges and power plants.