President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Monday evening to lash out at The Atlantic, rejecting an interview request and unleashing a scathing rebuke of two of the magazine’s top journalists. In a fiery post at 6:11 p.m., Trump branded the publication as a “Third Rate Magazine” and revisited long-standing grievances over The Atlantic’s 2020 report alleging he called fallen U.S. service members “suckers and losers.”
Trump’s Truth Social Statement
Trump’s post explicitly called out The Atlantic’s Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer, stating that neither journalist was qualified to conduct an interview with him.
“Ashley Parker is not capable of doing a fair and unbiased interview,” Trump wrote. “She is a Radical Left Lunatic, and has been as terrible as is possible for as long as I have known her. To this date, she doesn’t even know that I won the Presidency THREE times.”
Trump also directed criticism at Scherer, saying, “Michael Scherer has never written a fair story about me, only negative, and virtually always LIES.”
Trump concluded the post by declaring that The Atlantic “has absolutely no credibility” and suggesting that the publication “would be far better off, in terms of ‘journalism,’ to cease publication.” However, he left the door open for a future interview, saying he would consider it “when you have a writer with intelligence, competence, and fairness.”
A Longstanding Feud with The Atlantic
The president’s latest attack on The Atlantic follows years of animosity stemming from the publication’s reporting. In September 2020, The Atlantic published a report claiming that Trump had made disparaging remarks about fallen U.S. military personnel, referring to them as “suckers” and “losers” during a 2018 trip to France. The article, based on anonymous sources, was widely disputed by Trump and several officials who were present at the time, including then-National Security Adviser John Bolton, who stated he did not hear Trump make such remarks.
Despite Bolton’s denial, in October 2023, former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly publicly confirmed that Trump had made the comments. Kelly’s confirmation reignited debate over the veracity of the original reporting, with Trump continuing to denounce it as a “hoax.”
Trump’s Media Presence and Truth Social’s Role
Monday’s post highlights Trump’s continued use of Truth Social as his primary platform for communicating directly with his supporters. Truth Social, launched in 2022 by Trump’s media company, has served as an alternative to mainstream social media platforms, particularly following his removal from Twitter (now X) and Facebook in the wake of the January 6th Capitol riot. Although Trump’s X account was reinstated after Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform, he has largely opted to remain on Truth Social.
The post also underscores Trump’s ongoing battle with what he calls the “Fake News Media,” a frequent target of his criticism throughout his political career. His rejection of The Atlantic’s interview request signals that, at least for now, he has no intention of engaging with media outlets he deems hostile.
What’s Next?
It remains unclear whether The Atlantic will seek another journalist to interview Trump or respond publicly to his comments. Parker and Scherer have not issued statements regarding the president’s post.
As Trump continues his presidency after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, his relationship with the media—and particularly with adversarial outlets like The Atlantic—is likely to continue making headlines.
Disclaimer:
This article reports on statements made by President Donald Trump on Truth Social and reactions from involved parties. While efforts are made to verify claims, some statements are based on public figures’ assertions and may be disputed. Readers are encouraged to review multiple sources for a comprehensive understanding.
