Trump Critiques New York Times During Press Conference

During a press conference on Monday, President Donald Trump targeted the “failing” New York Times, accusing it of dwelling on outdated narratives. “Fail, fail!” he remarked, questioning, “What’s going on with their circulation?”

This exchange followed a query from reporter Zoran Canno-Youngs about whether Trump’s threats to bomb Iranian sites could be classified as a war crime. The reporter had to repeat his question for the president to address it.

In response, Trump quickly dismissed the idea, stating, “No, not at all. I don’t think we need to do that,” adding that negotiations with Iran have been ongoing for decades.

He emphasized, “My goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” before shifting the focus to another reporter. When Canno-Youngs tried to ask a follow-up question, Trump interrupted him.

“The New York Times has no credibility anymore,” he insisted. “They said, ‘Oh, Trump can’t win the election,’ and yet I won by a landslide, in every battleground state.” Trump further criticized the paper’s reputation, suggesting it’s no longer a credible source of news, stating, “They’re operating on the smoke of the past.” His tone soured, expressing that “the people I know like you are fake. You’re a fake!”

A spokesperson from The New York Times later contended that the paper had acknowledged Trump’s potential for winning the 2024 election, sharing a link to back their claim.

The spokesperson responded to Trump’s comments by saying, “His derogatory remarks toward a New York Times reporter are consistent with his pattern of attacking questions instead of providing clear answers. Our comprehensive coverage and polling during the campaign accurately reflected the dynamics at play, including Trump’s advantages.” They expressed their commitment to rigorously questioning elected officials to hold them accountable.

This marked Trump’s second critical outburst towards the New York Times in a week, following a mishap in which the newspaper incorrectly labeled NATO as the “North American Treaty Organization.”

Trump noted this error in a post on Truth Social, stating, “The failed New York Times, whose circulation has completely plummeted due to its lack of credibility… made an interesting mistake!” He expressed dissatisfaction with the paper’s standards and ended with a call for their return to responsible reporting.