Trump demands apology from NYT, criticizes Maggie Haberman; NYTimes responds

This article has been updated to include comments from the Managing Director, External Communications, Newsroom and Opinion at The New York Times

President-elect Donald Trump has once again directed his ire at The New York Times (NYT), demanding an apology for what he describes as years of biased and inaccurate reporting. In a midnight post on Truth Social, Trump specifically targeted Maggie Haberman, a national political correspondent for the Times, calling her “a third rate writer and fourth rate intellect.”

Trump’s post reads, “Will the failing New York Times apologize to its readers for getting years of ‘Trump’ coverage so wrong? They write such phony ‘junk,’ knowing full well how incorrect it is, only meaning to demean.”

He continues, “Magot Hagerman, a third rate writer and fourth rate intellect, writes story after story, always terrible, and yet I almost never speak to her. They do no fact checking, because facts don’t matter to them. I don’t believe I’ve had a legitimately good story in the NYT for years, AND YET I WON, IN RECORD FASHION, THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN DECADES. WHERE IS THE APOLOGY?”

The president-elect’s outburst came shortly after the publication of a New York Times report co-written by Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The report detailed a series of personal letters sent to Trump by his aide, Natalie Harp. Harp, a former cable TV show host, has been a close aide to Trump since 2022. The letters, which expressed unwavering devotion to Trump, have raised eyebrows among some insiders.

According to the NYT piece, in one letter, Harp wrote, “You are all that matters to me,” and another letter reportedly stated, “I don’t ever want to let you down,” referring to Trump as her “Guardian and Protector in this Life.” Despite lacking an official title, Harp has been a visible figure in Trump’s orbit, and her close proximity has sparked speculation about her role in the forthcoming administration.

The apology demand by Trump from the NYT is not an isolated incident. Throughout his presidency and beyond, Trump has frequently clashed with the media, accusing them of perpetuating “fake news” and unfair treatment.

Haberman, who has won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the Trump administration, is known for her in-depth reporting and extensive network of sources within Trump’s inner circle.

Upon request for comments on this story, Charlie Stadtlander, Managing Director, External Communications, Newsroom and Opinion at The New York Times, told US and Global News: “As an independent news organization The New York Times doesn’t produce stories that are “good” or “bad”, only reporting that is true. Maggie Haberman and her colleagues have an unrivaled record of providing deeply-reported and authoritative coverage. Every president has complaints about coverage but this work has been widely recognized as fair, accurate and unflinching.”

Trump’s post has sparked polarized reactions on social media, with supporters echoing his claims of media bias and critics defending the integrity of the press. This latest episode adds to the ongoing saga of Trump’s contentious relationship with the media, a dynamic that has defined much of his public life.

As Trump prepares to enter the Oval Office once again, his interactions with the press will undoubtedly remain a significant and closely watched aspect of his presidency. For now, the tension between Trump and the media shows no signs of abating.

Featured image attribution: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, License: CC BY-SA 2.0