Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Trump Calls On Pulitzer Prize Committee To Revoke Its 2018 Journalism Awards—Because Of Course He Did

Trump Calls On Pulitzer Prize Committee To Revoke Its 2018 Journalism Awards—Because Of Course He Did
Spencer Platt/Getty Images; Pulitzer Prize Board/pulitzer.org

Former President Donald Trump has spent quite a lot of time railing against so-called "fake news" for the last few years, and he's now attacking the Pulitzer Prize Board over its 2018 National Reporting awards.

In 2018, the board awarded Pulitzers to The New York Times and The Washington Post for their coverage of Russian interference in the 2016 general election and its connection to Trump, his campaign, and associates.


Now, three years after the fact, Trump insists that the stories were based on "false reporting" and a "complete lack of evidence."


In a letter addressed Bud Kliment, the interim administrator of the awards, Trump claimed he's been the target of a smear campaign.

"As has been widely publicized, the coverage was no more than a politically motivated farce which attempted to spin a false narrative that my campaign supposedly colluded with Russia despite a complete lack of evidence underpinning this allegation."

Trump went on to describe the New York Times and Washington Post coverage of his Russian ties as little more than a "debunked Russian collusion conspiracy theory."

He then attacked the free press more broadly, claiming:

"For two years, these institutions feverishly pushed one Russia story after another and – despite lacking any credible evidence – attempted to persuade the public that my campaign had colluded with the Russian government."

Trump concluded by calling on the Pulitzer Board to "rectify" the matter by revoking the awards.

"Ultimately, my hope is that the receipients for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting, The New York Times and The Washington Post, will voluntarily surrender this award in light of recent revelations."
"However, should they fail to do so, I would expect that you will take the necessary steps to rectify the situation, including stripping the recipients of their prize and retracting the false statements that remain on the Pulitzer website."
"Without holding the recipients to such a high standard of accountability, the integrity of the Pulitzer Prize namesake stands to be wholly compromised."

Notably, Trump attempted to discredit this news coverage by pointing to the indictment of Michael Sussmann, a lawyer who had worked for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Trump said that Sussman had misdirected Special Counsel John Durham about what he and others believed were suspicious communications between computer servers at the Russian Alfa-Bank and the Trump Organization.

Last month, the FBI charged Sussman with lying, saying that he was alleging he falsely told FBI general counsel James Baker during a September 2016 meeting that he was not representing a client for their discussion.

Trump and his supporters had claimed Sussman was working on behalf of the Clinton's campaign, which Sussman denied.

The connections between Alfa-Bank and the Trump Organization, which were originally reported by Slate in 2016, have not been proven, though investigations continue.

Trump, who publicized the letter via his spokeswoman Liz Harrington, was widely criticized.


Trump has continuously dismissed the assessment from U.S. intelligence it was confident Russia was behind the hacks of internal records at the Democratic and Republican National Committees and has suggested the conclusion of Russian interference was politically motivated.

However, then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report was quite damning.

While the report did not find sufficient evidence the campaign "coordinated or conspired with the Russian government in its election-interference activities" to level its own charges, it stated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was illegal and the Trump campaign welcomed and encouraged these efforts.

The report also found Trump tried many times to obstruct the investigation, but his associates often "refused to carry out his orders."

More from People/donald-trump

TikToker Irate After Edible Arrangements Blocks Him For Complaining That His $80 Birthday Gift Never Arrived
@timmyinthewind/TikTok

TikToker irate over blocked gift

TikToker @timmyinthewind shared his terrible customer service experience with Edible Arrangements after the fruit arrangement business blocked him online for asking about a birthday gift order that was charged but never arrived.

It all started on June 5th when the social media user’s partner ordered a birthday-themed berry bouquet from Edible Arrangements, priced at $80, which included chocolate-covered strawberries.

Keep ReadingShow less
TikToker Posts Emotional Plea After Dead Mother's Final Gift To Her Is Cancelled—And The Internet Delivered
@gardenoferin/TikTok

TikToker Posts Emotional Plea After Dead Mother's Final Gift To Her Is Cancelled—And The Internet Delivered

Grief can make even small gestures deeply impactful, as a woman recently found out after posting a video to TikTok after her mother's recent death.

Erin Barbee, who goes by @gardenoferin on TikTok, had wanted a wildly popular "Boat and Tote" bag from L.L. Bean for her birthday this year. Her mother obliged and put in the order, along with custom embroidery.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshots from video of JD Vance at Disneyland
@janekleeb/X

JD Vance Called Out For Hypocrisy As He Visits Disneyland With His Family Amid Boos

On Saturday, one-time vehement Trump critic turned MAGA Republican convert Vice President JD Vance went on vacation to Disneyland in blue state California, despite Disney World in red state Florida being closer to Washington D.C. and in the middle of MAGA territory.

The administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump is currently engaged in a face-off with California over occupying forces sent by Trump to Los Angeles, which is about 50 miles from Anaheim where Disneyland is located, making Vance's choice even more questionable.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Joe Biden
Mandel Ngan/Pool/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Joe Biden Calls Out 'Liar' Trump Over His Claims About Biden's Use Of Autopen For Pardons

Speaking to The New York Times, former President Joe Biden called President Donald Trump a "liar" over claims that Biden's pardons are "void" because they were done by autopen, a conspiracy theory heavily promoted by Republicans who've already suggested many times that Biden was not mentally fit while in office.

In the final hours of his presidency, Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons, including ones for his relatives, all members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack—such as former Congresswoman Liz Cheney—and several of Trump’s most prominent adversaries, including General Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Rep. Nancy Mace Gets Brutal Reminder On X After She Tried To Praise Trump For 'Rebuilding' The U.S.

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was fact-checked by an X Community Note after she tried to praise President Donald Trump for "rebuilding" the country, when she herself voted against President Biden's 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The IIJA authorized $1.2 trillion in funding and the increased federal spending in recent years has improved U.S. ports, roads, parks, and other services in a country that civil engineers have long said spends too little on infrastructure.

Keep ReadingShow less