President Donald Trump faced flak online as the president criticized several media outlets for their “false” reporting during a phone interview on Fox News with host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday, April 12.
The President also called media outlets including CNN, NBC, ABC, and The New York Times “fake news”, while specifically bashing the New York Times several times during his phone interview on ‘Sunday Morning Futures’.
He said, “It’s so sad when you look at CNN, The New York Times, ABC fake news, NBC fake news….they report things that they know are false. It’s almost treasonous.”
Trump: When you look at CNN, “The New York Times,” ABC fake news, NBC fake news, they report things that they know are false. It’s almost treasonous. The NYT’s circulation is way down. I’m proud to report that. pic.twitter.com/vwtOTyLWCE
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 12, 2026
“The New York Times’s circulation, by the way, is way down. I’m proud to report that,” the President added.
However, Trump’s statement did not land well with netizens as they ended up slamming the President.
An X user @cardone_paul wrote, “They are reporting on what Trump says, the lies each day all day, so the fake news is from Trump himself.. he gives them the ammunition.”
Similarly, @forgy_corliss, another X user, mentioned, “You (Trump) are ashamed of what you’re doing and don’t want the people to know the truth. The media should have the right to tell the people facts. It’s you are lying to us.”
You’re (Trump) are ashamed of what you’re doing and don’t want the people to know the truth. The media should have the right to tell the people facts. It’s you are lying to us.
— Corliss forgy (@forgy_corliss) April 12, 2026
Meanwhile, an X user @ASouthward18432 added, “This from the guy that couldn’t tell the truth if it was written out for him on the teleprompter. In his opinion, anything that doesn’t portray him as a brilliant, conscientious & kind leader, is fake news. We have news for him: he is the spouter of fake news!”
Another X user @ljcSTILLme added, “Once again using the word treason to describe the fundamental function of a free press. Dangerous as always.”
Interestingly, Meidas Touch’s Editor-in-Chief Ron Filipkowski wrote in an X post, highlighting what the POTUS said about the New York Times, “The NYT just posted record annual revenue in 2025 of $2.8 billion with 12.8 million subscribers. That’s up 9% from 2024.”
The NYT just posted record annual revenue in 2025 of $2.8 billion with 12.8 million subscribers. That’s up 9% from 2024. https://t.co/sDf98PUY3s
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 12, 2026
The New York Times published an article in February and mentioned that the business added 1.4 million digital-only subscribers in 2025, including about 450,000 in the last quarter of the year.
The company’s total revenue for that quarter reached $802.3 million, up 10.4% from a year earlier, according to the New York Times.
Moreover, their operating profit soared 12.8%, to $192.3 million, and operating costs rose 10.5% to $640.7 million.
Donald Trump’s criticisms and actions against media outlets have been a defining feature of his political career.
In December 2024, ABC settled a defamation lawsuit filed by the president over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ remarks.
Meanwhile, ABC agreed to pay $15 million as a “charitable contribution” to Trump’s presidential library, along with $1 million in legal fees.
Similarly, in July 2025, Paramount settled a lawsuit over CBS’s ‘60 Minutes’ editing of a pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
The President alleged deceptive editing that made the former Vice President appear more coherent or favorable. This resulted in Paramount agreeing to pay $16 million.
