President Donald Trump went off on the New York Times Sunday, claiming the outlet’s reports about his work schedule and eating habits amid the coronavirus were wrong.
Trump made the comments on Twitter in reaction to a Thursday article from the New York Times which reported that the president has been isolating himself from others in his private quarters for much of the day since the pandemic began. (RELATED: Can Sunlight Really Kill Coronavirus? Separating The Truth From The Fake News)
I work from early in the morning until late at night, haven’t left the White House in many months (except to launch Hospital Ship Comfort) in order to take care of Trade Deals, Military Rebuilding etc., and then I read a phony story in the failing @nytimes about my work….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2020
….schedule and eating habits, written by a third rate reporter who knows nothing about me. I will often be in the Oval Office late into the night & read & see that I am angrily eating a hamburger & Diet Coke in my bedroom. People with me are always stunned. Anything to demean!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2020
“I work from early in the morning until late at night, haven’t left the White House in many months (except to launch Hospital Ship Comfort) in order to take care of Trade Deals, Military Rebuilding etc., and then I read a phony story in the failing @nytimes about my work schedule and eating habits, written by a third rate reporter who knows nothing about me,” Trump wrote. “I will often be in the Oval Office late into the night & read & see that I am angrily eating a hamburger & Diet Coke in my bedroom. People with me are always stunned. Anything to demean!”
Trump’s accusation against a “third-rate reporter” likely refers to NYT White House correspondent Maggie Haberman. He has repeatedly referred to her as such since the outset of the pandemic.
Haberman responded to Trump’s tweet by saying the White House had not pushed back on her and fellow WH correspondent Katie Rogers’ story when they first reached out for comment. (RELATED: Asked Whether China Censored Early Coronavirus Data, Senior WHO Official Said He ‘Didn’t Look’)
As is often the case, the White House doesn’t push back in real time, and the reporters are transparent about what will be in the paper, but then the president still spends days attacking the story > https://t.co/3Q2cwb7Ota
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 26, 2020
The NYT story claims Trump has been dour since the country went under lockdown, with his appearances at the daily coronavirus press briefings being his only outlet. It was reported last week that Trump may start cutting back on his appearances at the briefings.