‘Enough of This!’: Trump Explodes at Black Reporter, But When He Refuses to Flinch, a Visibly Rattled Trump Pulls a Move That Forces the Room Into Dead Silence
The New York Times is defending its reporting after President Donald Trump lashed out at one of its reporters during a White House news conference, calling him “fake.”
The dressing down happened during a news conference on the war in Iran on April 6 between Trump and reporter Zolan Kanno-Youngs.
Here’s how the exchange on FOX News unfolded:
KANNO-YOUNGS: “Thank you, Mr. President, for the question. Deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure violate the Geneva Conventions and international law-“
TRUMP: “Who are you with? Who are you with?”
KANNO-YOUNGS: “I’m with The New York Times. Zolan from The New York Times.”
TRUMP: “Failing, failing! Circulation way down at The New York Times. What’s going on with that?”
Kanno-Youngs, seemingly ignoring the question, presses the president.
KANNO-YOUNGS: “Are you concerned that your threat to bomb power plants and bridges amounts to war crimes?”
TRUMP: “No, not at all. No, no I’m not. I hope I don’t have to do it. But, again, I just said, 47 years they’ve been negotiating with these people. They’re great negotiators —”
KANNO-YOUNGS: “Why wouldn’t it not violate international—”
TRUMP: “And because they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. And if somebody that takes my place someday is weak and ineffective, which possibly that will happen because we have had numerous presidents that were weak, ineffective, and afraid of Iran, we’re never going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon. And if you think it’s okay for people that are sick of mind, that are tough, smart, and sick, really sick ideolo-, you know, from a policy standpoint, from a stand-, anyway, you to say, mentally, these people are disturbed people. If you think I’m going to allow them—and powerful and rich—to have a nuclear weapon, you can tell your friends at ‘The New York Times,’ not going to happen.”
KANNO-YOUNGS: “Even if it means violating international law?”
The president then moves to shush the room.
TRUMP: “Quiet, quiet, quiet. You no longer have credibility at ‘The New York Times’ because ‘The New York Times’ said, ‘Oh, Trump won’t win the election,’ and I won in a landslide; I won every swing state. New York Times has no credibility. The credibility they have is it used to be all the news that’s fit to print. A great-, the old gray lady, it was great. But they’re running on past fumes, and you can’t keep doing that. You have to be able to give the correct news, and people like you, who I know, are fake. You’re fake!”
The president made his last remark while making eye contact with Kanno-Youngs.
“Why does Trump want to have a press conference if he is going to attack reporters?” said @elroycampbellofficial on Threads. “Enough with these humiliation rituals! Who are you with? You are fake!! No needs this.”
Trump has a history of clashing with reporters. One recent instance occurred aboard Air Force One last month, when he shushed a female reporter and called her “obnoxious.” AOL.com reports it happened after she asked him a question about Iran.
The president has also feuded 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.
Trump’s public sparring with the media has sparked outrage on social media.
“He’s like an old broken record, blah blah blah… don’t you reporters get sick and tired of him? Call him out!!” @mimi_lori.g posted on Threads.
“What a disgrace,” @failed_potato_farmer commented on Threads. “Trump will go down as the dumbest, most loudmouth liar of all presidents.”
The Times pushed back on the president’s criticism.
“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 the same day. “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.”
The president has also threatened to prosecute journalists who published leaked information about a downed American jet in Iran earlier this month.