President Donald Trump criticizes a New York Times reporter over a question about Iran.
Trump proclaims 'failing' New York Times has no credibility, 'running on past fumes'
by Lindsay Kornick · Fox NewsNEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump called out the "failing" New York Times for "running on past fumes" during a Monday press conference at the White House.
"Failing, failing!" Trump said. "Circulation way down at the New York Times. What’s going on with that?"
His comments came after New York Times reporter Zolan Kanno-Youngs asked the president whether he believed his threats to bomb Iranian structures would constitute a war crime. Kanno-Youngs had to repeat the question before Trump responded.
"No, not at all. No, no I’m not. I hope I don’t have to do it," Trump responded. "But, again, I just said, 47 years they’ve been negotiating with these people."
Trump reiterated his goal to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon before attempting to move on to another reporter. When Kanno-Youngs tried to follow up with another question, Trump cut him off.
"You no longer have credibility at The New York Times because the New York Times said, 'Oh, Trump won’t win the election,' and I won in a landslide, I won every swing state. The New York Times said, 'Oh, Trump won’t win the election.' The New York Times has no credibility. The credibility they have is it used to be all the news that’s fit to print. The old Gray Lady. It was great. But they’re running on past fumes, and you can’t keep doing that. You have to be able to give the correct news and people like you, who I know, are fake. You’re fake!" Trump said.
In a comment to Fox News Digital, a New York Times spokesperson argued that the publication reported on Trump potentially winning the 2024 presidential election and posted links along with a statement.
"President Trump’s derisive comments to a New York Times reporter today are the latest example in his pattern of answering fair questions with inaccurate attacks. Contrary to the president’s false claims, our extensive reporting and polling during the 2024 presidential campaign captured the race in full, including his advantages. Mr. Trump himself celebrated this polling and reporting numerous times," the statement read.
TRUMP’S LONG-RUNNING FEUD WITH NEW YORK TIMES ESCALATES WITH NEW INSULTS, LAWSUITS
The statement continued, "We ask questions of elected leaders to hold them accountable to the public they serve. Our entire White House team—including the talented journalist who posed questions to Mr. Trump today—reports with the same rigor and scrutiny on all who hold the office."
This was the second time Trump attacked the New York Times in less than a week after the paper published an erroneous headline referring to NATO as the "North American Treaty Organization" instead of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
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"The Failing New York Times, whose lack of credibility, and their constant Fake News attacks on your favorite President, ME, has caused its circulation to absolutely PLUMMET, referred to our severely weakened and extremely unreliable 'partner,' NATO, as the North American Treaty Organization. The correct name is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - A very interesting mistake! The hiring and educational standards have gone way down at the NYT. Bring back, 'ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINT' and, Make America Great Again!" Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday.
Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.