Trump 'escalating attacks' with claim of treason - New York Times Publisher

In The Wall Street Journal and not in his own newspaper, Arthur Sulzberger warned that there were "no more serious charges that a commander-in-chief could bring against an independent press organization."

Washington:

The editor of the New York Times replied Thursday to Trump's accusations of treason, saying he "crossed a dangerous line in the president's campaign against a free and independent press."

In The Wall Street Journal and not in his own newspaper, Arthur Sulzberger warned that there were "no more serious charges that a commander-in-chief could bring against an independent press organization."

"It has gone from misrepresentation of our company to the assault on our integrity, to the demonization of our journalists," the editor wrote. "Now the president has stepped up his attacks even more, accusing the Times of a crime as serious as it is punishable by death."

Sulzberger's comment was in response to Trump's comments on Twitter last Saturday in which he claimed that the Times had committed" an act of virtual treason " after announcing that the United States was stepping up its digital incursions into the Russian power grid.

The action aims partly to give a warning, but also to let the United States about to conduct cyber-attacks in case of major conflict between the United States and Russia, the newspaper reported.

"Do you think the failed New York Times just published an article claiming that the United States is multiplying cyberattacks in Russia? It is a virtual act of treason written by a newspaper once so formidable and desperately seeking a story, even if it is so bad for our country ..... Trump tweeted, adding that " everything goes with our Corruptnews media today. "

Sulzberger stated that his newspaper had contacted the White House prior to the publication and that Trump staff had assured him that the article did not raise any national security concerns.

The comments on "treason" are the latest in a series of attacks by the US president on media - particularly those who have published investigations into Trump and his administration - which Sulzberger says have created a climate of diminishing trust and violence. against journalists is on the rise.

He also warned against" an aggressive legal campaign against journalists " led by the White House.

Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, or AG, took over the helm of the most prestigious newspaper in the United States last year. Since then, he has rebuked Trump for defending the Free Press.

In 2018, The Times shared a Pulitzer Prize with The Washington Post for its coverage of Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and its alleged links to the Trump campaign.