A.G. Sulzberger met with the president recently to discuss "fake news" and warned that Trump's "inflammatory language is contributing to a rise in threats against journalists that will lead to violence." Following a tweet by President Donald Trump on Sunday morning stating that he had met with New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger to discuss "fake news," the journalist responded with a statement of his own. "I told the president directly that I thought that his language was not just divisive but increasingly dangerous," Sulzberger said. "I told him that although the phrase ‘fake news’ is untrue and harmful, I am far more concerned about his labeling journalists ‘the enemy of the people.’ I warned that this inflammatory language is contributing to a rise in threats against journalists that will lead to violence."
For Trump's part, the president also cited the phrase "enemy of the people" — a group of words he first used to describe the media in February of last year — tweeting, "Had a very good and interesting meeting at the White House with A.G. Sulzberger, Publisher of the New York Times. Spent much time talking about the vast amounts of Fake News being put out by the media & how that Fake News has morphed into phrase, 'Enemy of the People.' Sad!"
Trump has not been shy in his criticism of major media networks or publications, often citing them as "fake news" and referring to the Times as the "failing New York Times" often on Twitter.
"Throughout the conversation I emphasized that if President Trump, like previous presidents, was upset with coverage of his administration, he was of course free to tell the world," Sulzberger said. "I made clear repeatedly that I was not asking for him to soften his attack on the Times if he felt our coverage was unfair. Instead, I implored him to reconsider his broader attacks on journalism, which I believe are dangerous and harmful to our country."
Later on Sunday afternoon, Trump tweeted again, seemingly in response to Sulzberger's comments. "90% of media coverage of my Administration is negative, despite the tremendously positive results we are achieving, it’s no surprise that confidence in the media is at an all time low," the president wrote.
He continued: "I will not allow our great country to be sold out by anti-Trump haters in the...dying newspaper industry. No matter how much they try to distract and cover it up, our country is making great progress under my leadership and I will never stop fighting for the American people! As an example, the failing New York Times......and the Amazon Washington Post do nothing but write bad stories even on very positive achievements - and they will never change!"
Poster Comment:
The newspaper industry is dying and fake news outlets who continually berate the president and his excellent staff are not far behind!!
