Trump call op-ed in Times 'gutless'
Anonymous critical piece by ‘senior official’ triggers vast guessing game.
In a striking anonymous broadside,
WASHINGTON — a senior Trump administration official wrote an
opinion piece in The New York Times on Wednesday claiming to be part of a group “working diligently from within” to impede President Donald Trump’s “worst inclinations” and alleged ill-conceived parts of his agenda. Trump called it a “gutless editorial” and “really a disgrace,” and the press secretary called on the official to resign.
Later, Trump tweeted: “TREASON?”
The writer, claiming to be part of the “resistance” to Trump but not from the left, said: “Many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office.” The newspaper described the author of the column only as a senior official in the Trump administration.
An unidentified Trump administration official’s column in the New York Times contains serious allegations, and these types of controversial stories receive special treatment. We always try to present as much information as possible so that readers can use those facts to reach their own conclusions. To do that, we rely on a variety of sources that represent multiple points of view. Today’s story, for example, includes excerpts from the column as well as the response from President Donald Trump.
“It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room,” the author continued. “We fully recognize what is happening. And we are trying to do what’s right even when Donald Trump won’t.”
A defiant Trump, holding an event with sheriffs at the White House, criti- does that rule out all women? cized the Times for publishThe references to Russia and ing the op-ed. the late Sen. John McCain —
“They don’t like Don- do they suggest someone ald Trump, and I don’t like working in national secuthem,” he said of the news- rity? Does the writing style paper. sound like someone who
The opinion piece imme- worked at a think tank? diately triggered a guessThe newspaper later said ing game as to the author’s the tweet referring to “he” identity on social media, in had been “drafted by some- newsrooms and inside the one who is not aware of the West Wing, where officials author’s identity, including were blindsided by its pub- the gender, so the use of ‘he’ lication. was an error.”
In a statement, press secHotly debated on Twitter retary Sarah Huckabee Sand- was the author’s use of the ers accused the author of word “lodestar,” which pops choosing to “deceive” the up frequently in speeches by president by remaining in Vice President Mike Pence. the administration. Could the anonymous fig-
“He is not putting country ure be someone in Pence’s first, but putting himself and orbit? Others argued that his ego ahead of the will of the word “lodestar” could the American people,” she have been included to throw said. “The coward should do people off. the right thing and resign.” Showing her trademark
Sanders also called on the ability to attract attention, Times to “issue an apology” former administration offi- for publishing the piece, call- cial Omarosa Manigault Newing it a “pathetic, reckless, man tweeted that clues about and selfish op-ed.” the writer’s identity were in
Trump allies and politi- her recently released tell-all cal insiders scrambled late book, offering a page numWednesday to unmask the ber: 330. The reality star writer. writes on that page: “many
The text was pulled apart in this silent army are in his for clues: The writer is iden- party, his administration, tified as an “administration and even in his own family.” official”; does that mean a The column was released person who works outside a day after the release of the White House? In a tweet, details from an explosive the Times used the pronoun new book by longtime jour“he” to refer to the writer; nalist Bob Woodward that raises concerns among the highest echelon of Trump aides about the president’s judgment.
The writer of the Times op-ed said Trump aides are aware of the president’s faults and “many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations. I would know. I am one of them.”
The writer also alleged “there were early whispers within the cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment” because of the alleged “instability” witnessed in the president. The 25th Amendment allows the vice president to take over if the commander in chief is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” It requires that the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet back relieving the president.
The writer adds: “This isn’t the work of the so-called deep state. It’s the work of the steady state.”