Media

NY Times: Trump berating reporter part of ‘pattern of answering fair questions with inaccurate attacks’

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by Dominick Mastrangelo - 04/07/26 9:47 AM ET

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by Dominick Mastrangelo - 04/07/26 9:47 AM ET

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The New York Times is pushing back on criticism from President Trump after he attacked a reporter who pressed him about a social media post that threatened Iran ahead of a deadline to make a ceasefire deal with the U.S.

In his Sunday morning post, Trump wrote, “open the f—– Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

During a briefing with reporters a day later, New York Times journalist Zolan Kanno-Youngs asked Trump if such an attack on Iran’s infrastructure would violate the Geneva Conventions. The president attacked the reporter, calling him “fake” and saying the Times was “failing.”

“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,” the Times said in a statement on Monday. “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.”

Trump has warred with the Times for years, and he sued the outlet last year over its coverage of his first run for president and alleged ties to Russia at the time.

The Times has vowed to fight the president’s lawsuit in court.

Trump and his allies have increased attacks on mainstream news outlets during his second term, threatening to take away the broadcast licenses of major networks over news coverage and banning wire services from key White House spaces.

The White House and Pentagon have separately sparred with top outlets like the Times, Washington Post and CNN over their coverage of the war, accusing them of focusing only on American casualties in the conflict and not being supportive enough of the mission.

Trump also on Monday threatened to prosecute journalists who published leaked information about a downed American jet in Iran last week.

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