Drop Site News, a nonprofit outlet published by Nika Soon-Shiong, the nepo baby daughter of billionaire LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, is taking heat for pushing Iranian propaganda.
The outlet, founded by journalists Ryan Grim and Jeremy Scahill, posted unverified claims that the U.S. was allegedly attempting to kill one of its own after a fighter pilot was lost in Iranian terrain over the weekend.
“Iranian state-linked Tasnim News, citing a military source, claims U.S. forces are bombing areas in southwest Iran where a missing pilot may be located, alleging Washington has ‘lost hope’ of recovery and is attempting to kill him,” a tweet from the website read.
There is no verified information that the U.S. intentionally bombed its own pilot.
Numerous reports suggest U.S. forces used airstrikes to destroy their own damaged, abandoned equipment and to provide air support against pursuing Iranian forces during a daring, complex, and high-stakes rescue mission.
Nika made headlines for claiming her family blocked the LA Times from endorsing Kamala Harris in 2024 to protest the war in Gaza, although her father stated she holds no formal role.
Critics have lashed out at the Washington-based “non-aligned and anti-establishment” media site for its outlandish claims, accusing it of promoting propaganda from the Iranian regime.
“The source added: ‘We will not announce whether the pilot is in our custody or not,’ and accused the U.S. of ‘not telling the full truth’ about the first crew member the U.S. claims was recovered,” the news site said.
A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle crew was shot down over Isfahan Province around April 3, 2026, forcing both crew members to eject behind enemy lines.
One crew member was quickly rescued, while the weapons officer survived for two days in a mountainous area while being hunted by Iranian forces before being rescued by U.S. special operations on Sunday, April 5.
The California Post has reached out to Drop Site for comment.
