Texas Reporter Covers Counter Protesters Thanking Trump After Iran Strikes

CBS Austin reporter defied orders to avoid the pro-U.S. and Israel demonstration.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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A local reporter for CBS Austin in Texas has gone viral for seemingly defying orders to not cover a protest in support of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Why it matters

The reporter's decision to cover the counter-protest despite being told not to highlights the ongoing tensions and debates around media coverage of politically-charged events, especially those involving the Trump administration.

The details

The reporter, whose name was not provided, covered a demonstration in Austin, Texas where protesters were thanking former President Trump for the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. This went against reported orders from the station's management to avoid the pro-Trump, pro-Israel event.

  • The protest took place on March 3, 2026.

The players

CBS Austin

A local television news station in Austin, Texas.

The reporter

An unnamed CBS Austin reporter who covered the pro-Trump, pro-Israel protest despite being told not to by station management.

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What they’re saying

“We must stand with our allies and the president who had the courage to take action.”

— Protester

What’s next

It is unclear if the reporter will face any disciplinary action from CBS Austin for defying management's orders.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between journalists' desire to cover newsworthy events and the directives of media outlets, especially when it comes to politically-charged topics.