President Donald Trump demanded that the New York Times hand over the anonymous official who disparaged the president in a recent op-ed for national security reasons, in a Wednesday tweet.
Does the so-called “Senior Administration Official” really exist, or is it just the Failing New York Times with another phony source? If the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2018
“It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room. We fully recognize what is happening. And we are trying to do what’s right even when Donald Trump won’t,” the anonymous official said.
The official described a cabal of administration officials actively circumventing the president’s daily desires. The op-ed comes just as excerpts from Bob Woodward’s new book on the administration have are being released showing a similar culture of senior aides who do not think highly of the president and work to temper his behavior.
Trump previously called the official “gutless,” and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders released a scathing statement saying, “nearly 62 million people voted for President Donald J. Trump in 2016, earning him 306 Electoral College votes — versus 232 for his opponent. None of them voted for a gutless, anonymous source to the failing New York Times.”
The press secretary ended her statement calling for resignation, saying, “The individual behind this piece has chosen to deceive, rather than support, the duly elected President of the United States. He is not putting country first, but putting himself and his ego ahead of the will of the American people. This coward should do the right thing and resign.”