In a barrage of early morning tweets, President Donald Trump disparaged the media for their coverage of his presidency, specifically calling out The New York Times, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” and CNN, a week after the Justice Department released the special counsel’s full report with redactions.
Trump, in calling out what he has repeatedly called the “Fake News media,” said they ignored the economic gains his administration has spurred and described their actions as bizarre on April 23.
“The Radical Left Democrats, together with their leaders in the Fake News Media, have gone totally insane!” he wrote. “I guess that means that the Republican agenda is working. Stay tuned for more!”
The Radical Left Democrats, together with their leaders in the Fake News Media, have gone totally insane! I guess that means that the Republican agenda is working. Stay tuned for more!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
The president accused New York Times columnist Paul Krugman of writing “false and highly inaccurate” stories. Trump appeared to be a referencing a recent op-ed penned by Krugman that criticized the Republican Party’s response to Mueller’s report.
“He is obsessed with hatred, just as others are obsessed with how stupid he is,” Trump said on Twitter. “He said Market would crash, Only Record Highs!”
Paul Krugman, of the Fake News New York Times, has lost all credibility, as has the Times itself, with his false and highly inaccurate writings on me. He is obsessed with hatred, just as others are obsessed with how stupid he is. He said Market would crash, Only Record Highs!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
Minutes later, Trump asked in a separate post if The New York Times would apologize to him again, referencing a letter the paper sent to its readers following his 2016 election victory. In that letter, the paper pledged to “reflect” on the results of the election.
“But this one will have to be a far bigger & better apology,” Trump wrote. “On this one they will have to get down on their knees & beg for forgiveness-they are truly the Enemy of the People!”
I wonder if the New York Times will apologize to me a second time, as they did after the 2016 Election. But this one will have to be a far bigger & better apology. On this one they will have to get down on their knees & beg for forgiveness-they are truly the Enemy of the People!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
The president’s criticisms came after Mueller reached an unambiguous conclusion in the final report on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election that found neither Trump nor any member of his campaign colluded with Russia.
Trump also made mention of CNN’s low ratings and said they were “beyond disaster.” In April, CNN had some of their lowest primetime weekly ratings overall and in the key age demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. From April 8 to 12, the network only averaged an audience of 690,000 people and 180,000 in the key 25–54 age demographic.
“In fact, [CNN] rewarded Chris Cuomo with a now unsuccessful prime time slot, despite his massive failure in the morning,” Trump added. “Only on CNN!”
….Dumb and Sick. A really bad show with low ratings – and will only get worse. CNN has been a proven and long term ratings and beyond disaster. In fact, it rewarded Chris Cuomo with a now unsuccessful prime time slot, despite his massive failure in the morning. Only on CNN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
Attorney General William Barr already summarized Mueller’s topline findings in a letter on March 24. In a press conference shortly before the release of the report, Barr told reporters that Trump declined to assert executive privilege to redact any portion of the report. As a result, all of the redactions in the final document were determined by a small group from the Justice Department, Mueller’s office, and the intelligence community.
The “Morning Joe” show hosted by Joe Scarborough also caught Trump’s condemnation.
“Morning Psycho (Joe), who helped get me elected in 2016 by having me on (free) all the time, has nosedived, too Angry Dumb and Sick?” he wrote. “A really bad show with low ratings—and will only get worse.”
Sorry to say but @foxandfriends is by far the best of the morning political shows on television. It rightfully has BY FAR the highest ratings, not even close. Morning Psycho (Joe), who helped get me elected in 2016 by having me on (free) all the time, has nosedived, too Angry…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
Epoch Times reporter Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.
