President Donald Trump attacked the “corrupt New York Times” on Saturday, claiming that the outlet had used a “phony source” who “doesn’t exist” in a story on the possibly renewed summit between the United States and North Korea. But according to the White House transcript and several journalists, the source was National Security Council member Matt Pottinger — who does exist.
President Trump tweeted his comments about the story late Saturday morning.
Unlike what the Failing and Corrupt New York Times would like people to believe, there is ZERO disagreement within the Trump Administration as to how to deal with North Korea…and if there was, it wouldn’t matter. The @nytimes has called me wrong right from the beginning!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2018
The Failing @nytimes quotes “a senior White House official,” who doesn’t exist, as saying “even if the meeting were reinstated, holding it on June 12 would be impossible, given the lack of time and the amount of planning needed.” WRONG AGAIN! Use real people, not phony sources.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2018
Mike Warren, senior writer for the Weekly Standard, was quick to correct the record on Twitter.
I mean, every reporter on the call knows who this official was, and this official exists. And we all heard the official say it. https://t.co/iEiTEpHeyb
— Mike Warren (@MichaelRWarren) May 26, 2018
Yashar Ali, who obtained audio of the background briefing, identified Pottinger as the source of the comment.
The official is Matt Pottinger who serves on the National Security Council. He briefed dozens of reporters on background. https://t.co/5FUP7t8nYQ
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) May 26, 2018
Ali then offered additional background information on the briefing in question along with audio of the call.
4. I’ve obtained audio of the WH press briefing. You can hear Raj Shah, Deputy Press Secretary, introduce Pottinger (along with the terms – which are standard) and then Pottinger makes the statement that POTUS says was never made. Lots of reporters in briefing room and on phone. pic.twitter.com/2gEYkRSyTv
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) May 26, 2018
Politico also addressed the president’s tweets, saying that he was in part correct since he claimed that the Times quoted the source as using the word “impossible” in reference to a June 12 summit and that word was never used. The White House transcript confirmed that the word “impossible” was not included in the original comment.
“There’s a certain amount of actual dialogue that needs to take place at the working level with your counterparts to ensure that the agenda is clear in the minds of those two leaders when they sit down to actually meet and talk and negotiate, and hopefully make a deal. And June 12 is in 10 minutes, and it’s going to be – you know,” the official said, according to a White House transcript. “But the President has said that he has – someday, that he looks forward to meeting with Kim.”
According to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Trump administration’s advance team will still go to Singapore to prepare for the possibility that the summit will still take place.(RELATED: Trump Says US Is Talking To North Korea About Saving The Summit)