President Donald Trump accusing a highly-respected journalist of “treason” and “treasonous” behavior has exposed his “anxiety, insecurity and desperation” over how the Iran war is going, says New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.
Trump targeted New York Times White House and national security correspondent David Sanger aboard Air Force One, after the journalist asked him what the “use” of “repeating the bombing” of Iran would be.
“David is the dean of national security reporters,” Kristof said, calling him “experienced, meticulous and fair.”
“Blaming the messenger underscores that the reality itself is pretty bad,” he observed.
“I got, I had a total military victory,” Trump told Sanger, “but the fake news, guys like you, write, incorrectly, you’re a fake guy, guys like you write about incorrectly.”
“We had a total military victory,” he continued. “We knocked out their entire navy. We knocked out their entire Air Force. We knocked out all of their anti-aircraft weaponry. We knocked out all of their radar. We knocked out all of their leaders, number one, and then we knocked out all of their leaders in the second division, and we knocked out numerous of their leaders in the third division, and they’re very confused.”
“We’ve had a total victory, except by people like you that don’t write the truth, you know?” Trump said.
“I actually think it’s sort of treasonous, what you write,” Trump declared, “but you and the New York Times and CNN, I would say, are the worst.”
“Your editors tell you what to write and you write it,” Trump said. “You should be ashamed of yourself. I actually think it’s treason.”