The White House on Wednesday responded to an anonymous New York Times op-ed in which an unnamed administration official blasted President Donald Trump.
The statement came from White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, however, the language used has Trump's fingerprints all over it.
JUST IN: Press Sec. Sanders calls on senior admin. official who wrote anonymous NY Times op-ed to "do the right thi… https://t.co/yIYDkSvHnw— NBC News (@NBC News) 1536183414.0
The statement begins by touting Trump's electoral victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016, about which Trump loves to boast.
"Nearly 62 million people voted for President Donald J. Trump in 2016," the statement said, "earning him 306 Electoral College votes - versus 232 for his opponent." The White House called the unnamed author "gutless" and referred to the New York Times as "failing," which is one of Trump's favorite lines of attack against the publication.
The White House continued in Trumpian style:
We are disappointed, but not surprised, that the paper chose to publish this pathetic, reckless, and selfish op-ed. This is a new low for the so-called 'paper of record.
The statement then called for an apology from the Times and accused the paper of being part of the "liberal media's concerted effort to discredit the president," and that the anonymous source is "putting himself and his ego ahead of the will of the American people."
The statement said Trump's accomplishments have been "astounding" and that "this coward" who penned the editorial "should do the right thing and resign." Signed, Sarah Sanders. But it sure sounds like it was dictated by her boss.
Shortly after the op-ed hit the airwaves, Trump himself issued a statement to reporters in which he said the Times was "failing" and that major news outlets would not survive without him.
BREAKING: Trump responds after anonymous NYT Op-Ed. "The New York Times is failing... The New York Times and CNN a… https://t.co/jccOiZM28Y— Meet the Press (@Meet the Press) 1536182294.0
"If I weren't here, I believe the New York Times probably wouldn't exist," Trump said. "And someday - and someday when I'm not president, which hopefully will be in about six-and-a-half years from now, the New York Times and CNN and all of these phony news outlets will be out of business, folks."
Trump also assailed the "anonymous editorial" as "gutless" before falsely claiming his poll numbers are "through the roof."
Trump later tweeted, "TREASON?"
TREASON?— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1536185709.0
Speculation about the author's identity is permeating Twitter.
@NBCNews Press Secretary David Dennison wrote this.— Terry Jones (@Terry Jones) 1536183694.0
Others called on Sanders to "do the right thing" and resign herself.
"How about she go first..."
@NBCNews How about she go first ....— ☢ 𝕁𝕆𝔼 𝕊𝕋𝔼𝔼𝕃𝔼ℝ 𝔽𝔸ℕ ☢ (@☢ 𝕁𝕆𝔼 𝕊𝕋𝔼𝔼𝕃𝔼ℝ 𝔽𝔸ℕ ☢) 1536183496.0
@NBCNews Sarah Sanders, don’t EVEN start to talk to ANYONE else about “doing the right thing.”— Delilah Jane (@Delilah Jane) 1536184162.0
@NBCNews Lol, this Sarah lady is something else.— Alex Mukunga aka Gutuboy (@Alex Mukunga aka Gutuboy) 1536183618.0
Based on the op-ed, calls for the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment also appeared.
@NBCNews The real right thing is to invoke the 25th amendment and it should’ve happened a long time ago.… https://t.co/myK565rVzk— Liddle' Boz (@Liddle' Boz) 1536183617.0
@NBCNews @RobertFife In a perfect world, the writer of the op-ed piece, along with most of the Cabinet and other se… https://t.co/ghaBWTAO74— Joel Klebanoff (@Joel Klebanoff) 1536183929.0
As did calls for impeachment.
@realDonaldTrump yes you https://t.co/0U6sArdfkL— ᴿealfarmacist (@ᴿealfarmacist) 1536185727.0
@realDonaldTrump IMPEACHMENT?— Ryan Hill (@Ryan Hill) 1536185729.0
People are also taking Trump to task over who committed treason.
@realDonaldTrump A word you know something about?— Renato Mariotti (@Renato Mariotti) 1536185800.0
@realDonaldTrump Yes. You’ve committed Treason. Thanks for the admission.— 🌊 TJ 🛡 (@🌊 TJ 🛡) 1536185749.0
@realDonaldTrump This is confession, nyet?— Vladimir of the Rus, Esq. (@Vladimir of the Rus, Esq.) 1536185964.0
@realDonaldTrump YOU?— Bright Bart Omar 👴🏾🇺🇸💙 #KamalaHarris2020 (@Bright Bart Omar 👴🏾🇺🇸💙 #KamalaHarris2020) 1536186138.0
@realDonaldTrump Totally. https://t.co/Qpp3YfKtkp— imfabulous (@imfabulous) 1536186191.0
What a day.