President Donald Trump labeled a reporter “treasonous” and “fake” for his coverage of the ongoing Iran war during a tense exchange aboard Air Force One.
While en route to Washington after a three-day summit in Beijing, Trump was pressed about the situation in Iran — where the conflict is currently paused under a fragile ceasefire — after he indicated the military campaign could soon continue.
“What would be the use in repeating the bombing?” New York Times White House and National Security Correspondent David Sanger asked, standing just a few feet from the GOP president. “You did it for 38 days and you did not get the political changes in Iran.”
Trump, who has a long track record of lashing out at the press, responded: “I got, I had a total military victory. But the fake news, guys like you write incorrectly. You’re a fake guy.”
The 79-year-old billionaire went on to claim that Iran’s military infrastructure had been completely dismantled, including its navy, air force, air defense systems, radar capabilities and both senior and lower-ranking leadership.
“We’ve had a total victory except…By people like you that don’t write the truth,” he said. “I actually think it’s sort of treasonous what you write, but you and The New York Times and CNN I would say are the worst.”
“And you should know better than that,” Trump continued, while Fox News’ Sean Hannity milled around behind him. “Your editors tell you what to write, and you write, and you should be ashamed of yourself.”
When Sanger attempted to follow up, he was cut off by the president, who again insinuated that the reporter had committed a high crime.
“I actually think it’s treason,” Trump said. “When you write like they’re doing well militarily and they have no navy, no air force, no anti-anything.”
“That’s why your subscribers are way down,” he claimed. “You know, The Times subscribers are way down because it’s fake news. Subscribers are way, way down, way there.”
The New York Times reported earlier this month that the paper surpassed 13 million subscribers, after gaining more than 300,000 paid readers in the first quarter of the year. Total revenue was up 12 percent year-over-year.
Trump has long had a combative relationship with the press, accusing them of unfair and biased coverage. In recent months, he’s lobbed personal insults against reporters and insinuated that those he opposes should be punished.
Last month, he cautioned news organizations that journalists could be jailed for not revealing the source behind a leak tied to the rescue of a downed U.S. airman in Iran. That followed a November incident in which he threatened to pull ABC News’ broadcast license after being questioned about Jeffrey Epstein, calling the reporter “a terrible person and a terrible reporter.” Earlier in November, he responded to a similar question with: “Quiet, piggy.”
The Iran war, launched by the U.S. and Israel in late February, has engulfed large swaths of the Middle East in violence and spiked fuel prices around the globe. Multiple recent polls indicate the conflict is deeply unpopular among Americans.
Earlier this week, Trump brushed off concerns about the war’s economic fallout.
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” he told reporters outside the White House before departing for China. “I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing — we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.”
