Trump did not cite a specific article in his Twitter post, but his blunt declaration came a day after The Times published a report describing how he had tried to influence and undermine investigations surrounding him, his presidential campaign and his administration.
Trump has long denigrated American news outlets that in his view deliver less-than-favorable reports. Less than a month into his presidency, Trump wrote in a Twitter post that specific news organizations, including The Times, were not his enemy, but were the enemy of the American people. At the time, the statement was shocking because it came from the newly inaugurated leader of a country that prides itself on press freedoms.
The president has periodically returned to that expression during moments of peak criticism. But Wednesday’s denigration went a step further, suggesting that The Times reporting, across the board, was not to be trusted and was done to the detriment of Americans.
The Times’ publisher, A.G. Sulzberger, in a statement cited previous presidents of both political parties who not only championed the free press, but said it was a crucial foundation of a free society.
“All these presidents had complaints about their coverage and at times took advantage of the freedom every American has to criticize journalists,” Sulzberger said. “But in demonizing the free press as the enemy, simply for performing its role of asking difficult questions and bringing uncomfortable information to light, President Trump is retreating from a distinctly American principle.”
The Times also defended the article about Trump, which it said “was rigorously reported and based on a review of confidential White House documents as well as interviews with dozens of current and former government officials and others close to President Trump.”
A Times reporter contacted the White House about the article on Friday, days before it was published, and continued to press for comment over the following days.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.