Chattanooga Times Free Press

Trump escalates fight with ABC after ‘Roseanne’ cancellati­on

- BY CATHERINE LUCEY

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump escalated a grudge against ABC on Thursday in the wake of the cancellati­on of “Roseanne,” tweeting at the chief executive of ABC’s parent company.

Trump targeted Robert Iger on Twitter, saying: “Iger, where is my call of apology? You and ABC have offended millions of people, and they demand a response.”

Trump specifical­ly complained about an erroneous report last year by an ABC investigat­ive reporter, Brian Ross, saying: “He tanked the market with an ABC lie, yet no apology. Double Standard!”

ABC did not immediatel­y respond to a request for comment on Trump’s tweets. The network previously apologized for the report about Michael Flynn and suspended Ross and told him he could no longer report on Trump. ABC confirmed Ross is back at work following his suspension.

Last year, Ross, citing an unidentifi­ed confidant of Flynn, the former national security adviser, reported that then-candidate Donald Trump had directed Flynn to make contact with the Russians.

But hours later, Ross clarified his report, saying his source now said Trump had done so not as a candidate, but as president-elect.

ABC was widely criticized for initially clarifying and not correcting the report. It later issued a correction, saying they “deeply regret and apologize.”

At the time, Trump tweeted: “Congratula­tions to ABC News for suspending Brian Ross for his horrendous­ly inaccurate and dishonest report.”

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