The US President lashed out at authors who use anonymous sources in a tirade posted to his social media platform TruthSocial. Mr Trump said he would consider taking legal action against some writers and "even the media in general."
"As a President who is being given credit for having the Best Opening Month of any President in history, quite naturally, here come the Fake books and stories with the so-called 'anonymous,' or 'off the record,' quotes,' he said on the social media platform.
"At some point I am going to sue some of these dishonest authors and book publishers, or even media in general, to find out whether or not these “'anonymous sources' even exist, which they largely do not.
"They are made up, defamatory fiction, and a big price should be paid for this blatant dishonesty. I’ll do it as a service to our Country. Who knows, maybe we will create some nice new law!!!."
It is unclear whether one particular author sparked Mr Trump to write the TruthSocial post, or whether he was speaking in more general terms. Mr Trump, his previous administration and years out of office have been the subject of several books that have used anonymous sources to give a glimpse into his inner circle.
Among the most famous books about Mr Trump's 2017 to 2021 administration is Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, which used anonymous sources to portray a chaotic first year in government for the billionaire. Mr Trump attacked the book, branding it a "complete work of fiction" and branded Mr Wolff "a fraud." Mr Wolff has consistently stood by his book, adding he has dozens of hours of taped interviews to back up claims made in it.
Mr Trump has sued multiple media companies, seeking major damages over what he called misleading coverage. Among the outlets he sued included the Des Moins Register which published a poll that suggested his Democratic Presidential rival Kamala Harris was ahead in the state, only for the Republican leader to comfortably win the state.
The Trump administration also banned the Associated Press from access to Air Force One and the Oval Office after the news agency refused to use the term "Gulf of America," following the president's controversial executive order to rename the "Gulf of Mexico" on American maps.
The White House also said it would control which news outlets gain access to the president. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday: "Legacy media outlets who have been here for years will still participate in the pool, but new voices are going to be welcomed in as well."
The Mirror has contacted a Trump representative for comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment