US President Donald Trump on 12 July unleashed a fresh attack on major American news organisations, singling out New York Times reporters while accusing the press of spreading “Fake News” — even as the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) condemned what it called deliberate intimidation of journalists. The broadside came as the Trump administration faces mounting scrutiny over federal subpoenas served on four New York Times reporters.

Trump’s Truth Social Posts

In a series of lengthy posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump targeted New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman and journalist Jonathan Swan, urging his supporters to boycott their forthcoming book. Trump referred to Haberman as “Maggot Hagerman” and wrote: “Her book is a joke! 90% of it is Fake News.” He further alleged she had “made a living off her bad reporting” and warned she “will pay the price when our Multi Billion Dollar Lawsuit against The Failing New York Times gets to Court.”

In a separate post, Trump claimed his electoral victories were proof that the media had “NO CREDIBILITY,” writing: “With only bad Press and Fake News, I won the Presidential Election IN A LANDSLIDE. Therefore, the Media has NO CREDIBILITY!” He also attacked ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, arguing that near-total negative coverage had nonetheless failed to derail his political career.

Trump additionally disclosed that he had recently completed “a perfect physical at Walter Reed” and had requested “another Cognitive Test,” claiming he had “aced them all” and was “the only President to do so, three times.”

The NYT Subpoena Controversy

The posts followed reports that the Justice Department had subpoenaed four New York Times journalists who covered security concerns related to a Qatari-donated aircraft now operating as Air Force One. According to the New York Times, the reporters were ordered to testify before a federal grand jury after publishing stories indicating the aircraft lacked certain defensive capabilities present on the previous presidential plane. The subpoenas have drawn sharp criticism from press-freedom advocates and journalism organisations.

WHCA Condemns Intimidation

White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang issued a firm statement in defence of the targeted journalists. “The White House Correspondents’ Association stands with the New York Times reporters who were targeted for doing their jobs to uphold the public’s right to know how its government operates,” Jiang said. She added: “The WHCA condemns any act of intimidation against journalists, including attempts to pressure them into revealing sources.”

A Pattern of Press Confrontation

The episode is the latest in Trump’s sustained confrontation with mainstream American media — a conflict that has defined both his first and current terms in office. Throughout this period, Trump has repeatedly labelled sections of the US press as purveyors of “Fake News” and has pursued lawsuits against multiple outlets. Critics argue the use of federal subpoenas against reporters represents an escalation beyond rhetoric, raising constitutional questions about press freedom and the government’s power to compel journalists to reveal sources. The Justice Department’s move against the New York Times reporters is being closely watched as a potential precedent for how the administration handles adversarial coverage going forward.