President-elect Donald Trump visited The New York Times on Tuesday. He didn’t come for a friendly chat as much as give them his brand of a warning. He flatly said the paper “is about the roughest of all” in terms of the negative publicity he has received. That may be the understatement of the year.
He predicated the remark by saying he has “great respect for the New York Times,” but his tone then turned dour. “I’ve been treated very unfairly,” he said. He cited their coverage of his campaign with African-Americans and the Clintons. The newspaper had portrayed him as the enemy of the black community and a bully to the Clintons.
The meeting between the hierarchy of the Times and Trump took place in the paper’s Churchill Room. It included a meal of salmon, beef tenderloin, squash, and cupcakes. But that was the least important part of the historic meeting between the ultra-left New York Times and a president-elect. “But no one in the room is bothering to eat,” reporter Mike Grynbaum tweeted.
Salmon, beef tenderloin and squash were on the menu. Trump went with just a Diet Coke. https://t.co/CgfnGnFwTz
— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) November 23, 2016
The guest list of 28 was posted by Grynbaum. The photo included Trump and his entourage and executives, editors, and journalists from the paper’s staff. The scene was tense with Trump delivering his opening remarks followed by a Q and A session with those attending.
It was the Times’ chance to see inside the Trump campaign and his plans for the next two months as president-elect in the transition. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in a stunning victory.
Worth the read: Donald Trump’s New York Times Interview, in Full – Transcript https://t.co/B4QQ9HRb3e
— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) November 23, 2016
The most surprising news from Trump was his statement he would not seek to prosecute Ms. Clinton for her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state and over claims her family’s foundation might have conducted a pay-for-play scheme.
There is a rumor circulating throughout Washington insiders that Trump made a late night deal election night with Hillary’s campaign manager John Podesta that he would not seek prosecution if she conceded without stipulations.
Trump spoke about that decision during the meeting with the Times.
Trump tells NYT one way he might measure his presidency: pic.twitter.com/jM33jiHd3y
— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) November 22, 2016
