After backlash from high-profile Democrats, including the campaign of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), The New York Times, once again, changed a headline and deleted a tweet promoting it. President Trump has since responded by pointing to the paper’s most recent Democrat-prompted headline change as more evidence that it’s become a “fake newspaper.”
“As Chaos Spreads, Trump Vows to ‘End It Now,'” read the paper’s original front-page for its Tuesday print edition. The front-page features articles on Trump issuing “threats to send military” into riot-ravaged cities, the protests raging in 140 cities that have brought “5 deaths and thousands of arrests,” and the “chasm of race” in “liberal bastion” Minneapolis.
An image of the front page including the original top headline — accurately quoting Trump’s declaration and fairly describing the riots tearing through the country as “chaos” — was tweeted out by print editor Tom Jolly Monday evening and quickly highlighted by many incensed Democrats, including former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro.
“The President is acting like a budding dictator,” wrote Castro. “Headline fail, [New York Times].”
The President is acting like a budding dictator.
Headline fail, @nytimes. pic.twitter.com/wOYcCAtNPn
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) June 2, 2020
Another Democrat disappointed with the generally Democrat-friendly Times, Ocasio-Cortez, wrote in response to Jolly’s since-deleted tweet: “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
You’ve got to be kidding me. https://t.co/XJqrTH5P7c
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2020
Along with Castro and Ocasio-Cortez, Biden’s campaign complained, as reported by The Hill.
On Thursday, Trump responded to a post by the Trump War Room calling out the Times “bow[ing] to the Biden campaign” by changing the headline highlighting Trump’s pledge to “end it now.”
“The Fake Newspaper!” Trump wrote.
The Fake Newspaper! https://t.co/X6LEqpQeBc
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
The incident is reminiscent of the Times’ infamous “Trump Urges Unity vs. Racism” headline cave.
“Together, we lock arms to shoulder the grief, we ask God in Heaven to ease the anguish of those who suffer, and we vow to act with urgent resolve,” Trump said in response to two devastating mass shootings in August 2019. “In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America,” Trump said. “Now is the time to set destructive partisanship aside — so destructive — and find the courage to answer hatred with unity, devotion, and love.”
After massive backlash from Democrats — among them then-Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke and, again, Ocasio-Cortez — the Times scrambled to change the headline to read “Assailing Hate But Not Guns.”
As with the “End It Now” switch, Trump took to Twitter to call out the Times, writing, “‘Trump Urges Unity Vs. Racism,’ was the correct description in the first headline by the Failing New York Times, but it was quickly changed to, ‘Assailing Hate But Not Guns,’ after the Radical Left Democrats went absolutely CRAZY!”
“Trump Urges Unity Vs. Racism,” was the correct description in the first headline by the Failing New York Times, but it was quickly changed to, “Assailing Hate But Not Guns,” after the Radical Left Democrats went absolutely CRAZY! Fake News – That’s what we’re up against…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
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