President Donald Trump assailed The New York Times, accusing the paper of "seditious, perhaps even treasonous" behavior as it and other mainstream media outlets circulate "fake" reports suggesting he's slowing down.
"There has never been a President that has worked as hard as me," Trump said in a Tuesday night statement on Truth Social, pushing back on claims about his stamina and sharpness.
He touted what he described as a record of achievements, saying he "stopped Eight Wars," built "the Greatest Economy in the History of our Country," rebuilt the military, delivered the "Largest Tax Cuts and Regulation Cuts, EVER," and "closed our open and very dangerous Southern Border."
Trump also emphasized his medical evaluations, saying he undergoes "long, thorough, and very boring" examinations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and has received "PERFECT Marks."
He added that he has taken a cognitive test on three separate occasions, including one "recently," and that he "ACED all three of them" in front of doctors and experts.
Despite those claims, Trump said The Times and other outlets "like to pretend that I am 'slowing up,'' arguing they know it is untrue.
"I will know when I am 'slowing up,' but it's not now!" he wrote, contending that repeated reports about his health are designed "to libel and demean 'THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.'"
During a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump echoed that theme more directly, telling reporters the press is fixating on his health while it failed to aggressively scrutinize former President Joe Biden's condition when he was in office.
Trump argued that if he goes a single day without a public appearance, "there's something wrong with the president," while Biden, he said, went long stretches without news conferences.
Trump also said he regularly fields questions at multiple press events and suggested critics keep hunting for a damaging narrative because "there's never a scandal."
A New York Times opinion column by Frank Bruni on Monday took the opposite view, arguing Trump appeared to doze off at a Cabinet meeting and suggesting the public is again watching for signs of presidential decline, pointing to questions about his energy, gaffes, and medical testing.
Trump and his allies say the renewed media push reflects a familiar pattern: when policy outcomes and public support move in Trump's direction, establishment voices pivot to personal attacks.
In his Truth Social statement, Trump called The Times "true Enemies of the People" and said the country would be better off if the paper "would cease publication," portraying the coverage as less journalism than political warfare aimed at undermining his leadership.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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