Friendly Fire! Trump Calls Murdoch-Owned Paper ‘Fake News’ Over May Criticism

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Donald Trump distanced himself from the blistering interview he gave The Sun, blaming “fake news” for misrepresenting his words in a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May Friday.

“Maybe I’ll go first because I didn’t criticize the Prime Minister, I have a lot of respect for the Prime Minister and unfortunately there was a story that was done which was generally fine but it didn’t put in what I said about the Prime Minister and I said tremendous things,” he said. “Fortunately we tend to record stories now so we have it for your enjoyment if you would like it. It’s called fake news and we solve a lot of problems with the good old recording instrument.”

The Sun also recorded the interview and inserted audio clips into the article.

Later in the press conference, Trump identified Sun journalists in the crowd, saying that he wishes they put the positive things he said about May in the headline. He added that he had apologized to her since he had given her many compliments, and said that she responded “don’t worry, it’s only the press.”

Throughout the press conference Trump praised May effusively, calling her “an incredible woman” doing a “great job.”

Trump went on to call NBC fake news that does “dishonest reporting,” refused to call on CNN’s Jim Acosta saying “CNN’s fake news, I don’t take a question from CNN” in preference of a reporter from “real network” Fox News and joked around with May asking if she has fake news in her country too. May laughed.

Interestingly, the man who heads “real network” Fox News, Rupert Murdoch, also owns the “fake news” Sun.

In the article, Trump criticized May’s handling of Brexit, saying that she would likely “kill” any trade deals between the U.S. and the U.K. because she didn’t take his advice. He also says that Boris Johnson would make a great Prime Minister and that immigration is destroying European culture.

Watch below:

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. And even though they have an audio recording of his exact words he labels it fake news. It amazes me that anyone listens to a word he says.

  2. Can we trade him for the fat baby balloon and have that as our President instead?

  3. relevant:

    @poniewozik
    Once again, “fake news” does not mean, “this is untrue.“ It means, “I give you permission to ignore this.“ Once you establish that, you can even apply it to direct quotes out of your own mouth.

  4. An Indian gentleman, Ramesh, used to own the framing/restoration studio that mounted every addition to my collection. He retired and sold it to Anatoly, from Siberia, a restoration artist himself and exquisite custom framer of art. They are both immigrants and two of the kindest, finest, most honest and hardworking people I’ve met in my life. No one else touches my acquisitions.

    Trump wants all of us to be deprived of such people.

  5. Avatar for yskov yskov says:

    Given Trump’s unpopularity overseas, he may have been giving the paper a boost with that accusation. So Murdoch’s good with him on this, I am sure.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

52 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for jootjoint Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for juliagrey Avatar for sniffit Avatar for yskov Avatar for murgatroid Avatar for hquain Avatar for mcstubbins Avatar for maxaroo Avatar for eb5 Avatar for jeffrey Avatar for tao Avatar for kitty Avatar for riverstreet Avatar for ronbyers Avatar for dddinah Avatar for jonney_5 Avatar for docd Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for machoneman Avatar for greysea Avatar for coimmigrant Avatar for erik_t

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: