July 13, 2018

Trump Calls On-the-Record Interview Attacking British Prime Minister “Fake News”

“I said tremendous things.”

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President Donald Trump claimed that he never criticized British Prime Minister Theresa May just hours after a British newspaper published an interview where the president attacked May’s plan to leave the European Union, saying it could threaten trade deals with the United States. Trump instead called the interview “fake news” because it didn’t include remarks he said he made in praise of May.

The Sun released audio of the on-the-record interview, which did include such positive comments.

During a joint press conference with May at Chequers, the prime minister’s country retreat, a BBC reporter asked Trump if his remarks were “really the behavior of a friend?”

Trump responded, suggesting that the recording of the interview would vindicate him: “I have a lot of respect for the prime minister. Unfortunately there was a story that was done which was generally fine, but it didn’t put in what I said about the prime minister, and I said tremendous things. Fortunately, we tend to record stories now so we have it for your enjoyment.”

“We record when we do with reporters, it’s called fake news. And we solve a lot of problems with the good old recording instrument,” he added.

The Sun‘s explosive interview on Thursday was a significant embarrassment to May, who had just hosted a lavish dinner in honor of Trump’s first official trip to the United Kingdom, and who is working to cement trade deals with the US ahead of Brexit. After telling the newspaper that May’s approach to Brexit could “kill” a potential trade deal with the US, Trump attempted to walk the comment back in the joint news conference. “I don’t know what you’re going to do, but whatever you’re going to do is OK with me,” he said. “Just make sure you can trade with us, that’s all that matters.”

At the press conference, Trump stood by a portion of the broader interview he called “fake news,” defending his statement to the Sun that immigration is destroying the “cultural fabric” of Europe.

“I think it’s been very bad for Europe,” he reiterated to reporters on Friday. “I think what has happened is very tough.”

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

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