US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman on his Truth Social platform over claims that he will skip a 9/11 memorial event in New York.
The American leader denied a report alleging he would refrain from attending the ceremony at the World Trade Center on the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks because organizers would not allow him to speak.
Writing on his social media network, Trump insulted Haberman by calling her Maggot Hagerman and describing her as a fake journalist working for a failing newspaper. He characterized her as an unattractive person both inside and out, accused her of being a fraud and an impostor, and claimed she knows less about him than most reporters who cover his activities.
Trump said Haberman had fabricated a story claiming he would avoid the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan and travel instead to the Pentagon in Washington, where the report claimed he would serve as the main speaker.
The president emphasized that he has attended commemoration ceremonies in New York many times over the years. He added that public speeches are not included in the official program for the anniversary events in New York anyway.
Disputed Memorial Plans
The 9/11 memorial ceremonies mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when hijacked commercial airliners were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Virginia. Annual commemorations at Ground Zero in New York traditionally focus on family members reading the names of the victims, rather than political speeches by elected leaders.
Haberman is a veteran political reporter and senior correspondent for The New York Times who has reported extensively on Trump throughout his presidential campaigns and administration. She won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 as part of the newspaper team covering national politics and later authored a detailed biography on Trump.
Trump has frequently used Truth Social, a platform launched by Trump Media and Technology Group, to publish statements and criticize news organizations and individual journalists.
Previous White House Clashes
The confrontation follows an earlier dispute between Trump and Haberman during a White House event. In that instance, Trump reacted strongly after the reporter questioned him about the potential release of complete video footage showing a strike on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea.
During that White House roundtable discussion, Trump called Haberman a terrible reporter and described her behavior as disgusting. He added during the meeting that dealing with her was always like that.
