How Fake News Spreads: Multiple NYT Journos Share Altered Trump Quote From Conference Call With Governors

FILE – In this Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011, file photo, traffic passes the New York Times building, in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

As I wrote yesterday, New York Times editor Mara Gay posted a tweet that included a deceptively shortened version of comments President Trump made during a Monday morning conference call with governors regarding the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

Gay’s version of Trump’s quote made it sound like Trump told the governors and healthcare workers in their states that they were on their own when it came to obtaining the vital supplies and equipment they need to fight the virus:

Trump told governors this morning they are on their own:
“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Mr. Trump told the governors during the conference call, a recording of which was shared with The New York Times. https://t.co/K0sont7MBc

— Mara Gay (@MaraGay) March 16, 2020

What she left out completely changed the entire context of the quote:

“We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself,” Trump said, as Dan Bongino and many others pointed out.

As of this writing, however, and in spite of attempts by multiple people to get her to correct the record, Gay’s tweet is still up.

Unfortunately, nearly identical tweets with the same altered quote were posted by these New York Times writers as well and are also still up today:

Wow.

“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Mr. Trump told the governors during the conference call. via @jmartNYT https://t.co/RKZusLK5oY

— Julie Bosman (@juliebosman) March 16, 2020

Some governors were surprised to get this message from Trump, @jmart reports: “Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Mr. Trump told the governors during the conference call. https://t.co/x5T6Oril13

— Sharon LaFraniere (@SharonLNYT) March 16, 2020

“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Mr. Trump told the governors during the conference call, a recording of which was shared with The New York Times.https://t.co/HSkp8SM2CY

— Aaron E. Carroll (@aaronecarroll) March 16, 2020

NEW: “Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Mr. Trump told governors during a conference call this morning, according to a recording shared with The New York Times.https://t.co/TjEeqqAysu

— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) March 16, 2020

“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Mr. Trump told the governors during the conference call, a recording of which was shared with The New York Times https://t.co/loOEN0LpUa

— Michael Cooper (@coopnytimes) March 16, 2020

Zach Parkinson, the Trump campaign’s deputy comms director, found a total of 9 instances of various New York Times-affiliated Twitter accounts sharing the altered quote:

In total, at least nine times @nytimes twitter accounts pushed the cut off quote, misrepresenting what President Trump said to Governors pic.twitter.com/YYL4hH4FCx

— Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) March 16, 2020

For the record, Trump made the same point Monday afternoon during a task force presser about encouraging local and state officials to fast track supply orders instead of waiting for the federal red tape to clear:

President @realDonaldTrump says states "are able to get ventilators and respirators … without having to go through the longer process of federal government."

"They can get them faster by getting them on their own." pic.twitter.com/soRBAFwoaF

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 16, 2020

The point? Get the supplies however you can and as soon as you can, and don’t wait on us because the federal bureaucracy will slow progress.

As I said yesterday, at a time when there is fear, worry and panic spreading over whether or not hospitals and other healthcare facilities will have the important tools they need to help save lives, what these NYT “journalists” have tweeted is not just irresponsible. It is the very definition of fake news – in the middle of a national health crisis.

It’s absolutely shameful.

RedState senior copy editor Susie Moore sums up: