President Trump criticized the coronavirus coverage of the New York Times, telling the paper they practiced “disgraceful” journalism this week.
“If they’re going to say things that are false, like the story that was written yesterday. Somebody — I think I know who, but they taped the conference call that I had with the governors. It was a good call. It was fine. I assume somebody is going to tape it,” Trump said during a press conference Tuesday in response to a question about fighting back against his critics. “They handed it to various people, and one of them was the New York Times, and the New York Times chose to write totally inaccurately about it.”
“It was a disgraceful thing. It was bad journalism,” he added. “But, you know, they do a lot of bad journalism. But, we respond to that. And actually, people get it, people get it.”
Trump also expressed the desire for a bipartisan response to the virus.
“No, I want it to be bipartisan, and nobody’s going to be better than me. But when they attack me or the people, these incredible people behind me, I’m not going to let them get away with it,” he said.
The New York Times and several other outlets appeared to misrepresent a phone call Trump had with governors across the nation by reporting that he essentially told them they were on their own and wouldn’t have the help of the federal government during the coronavirus outbreak.
New York Times editor Mara Gay was widely criticized on Twitter after posting a truncated version of Trump’s call, leaving out a crucial sentence that altered the context.
“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves. We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself,” the president told governors in a conference call Monday. “We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.”
Gay left out the second sentence and simply tweeted, “Trump told governors this morning they are on their own: ‘Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves.”
Author and vocal Trump critic Jonah Goldberg said on Twitter in response to Gay’s tweet, “It is irresponsible to characterize his remarks this way.”
It is irresponsible to characterize his remarks this way. https://t.co/dIxSdG90C7
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) March 16, 2020
