The United States President Donald Trump called out the US leading daily to out the author of the op-ed piece published in the newspaper citing National security reasons.
In a tweet, Trump also questioned the existence of the author writing, "Does the so-called "Senior Administration Official" really exist, or is it just the Failing New York Times with another phony source? If the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!"
Several senior Trump administration officials denied writing the article which was recently published validates the book about Trump's presidency authored by veteran journalist Bob Woodward in which he claims that Trump's senior officials have concerns about his conduct and behaviour in the office.
Terming the op-ed a "disgrace", Trump dismissed the claims made in the piece.
"We have somebody in what I call the failing New York Times that's talking about he's part of the resistance inside the Trump administration. This is what we have to deal with. And you know the dishonest media ... But it's really a disgrace," he said.
The much talked about article was supposedly written by a senior Trump administration official who is the part of the resistance. The article brings to light Trump's "reckless decision making" and corroborates with Woodward's recently-published book, reported CNN.
"The dilemma -- which (Trump) does not fully grasp -- is that many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations. I would know. I am one of them. Many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations. I would know. I am one of them," the article read.
The US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo while talking to media in India said, "I come from a place where if you are not in a position to execute the commander's intent you have a singular option, it is to leave. And this person instead, according to The New York Times, chose not only to stay but to undermine what President Trump and this administration are trying to do."
He slammed the newspaper for publishing the article and asserted that it should not have published the article by a "disgruntled, deceptive, bad actor's word for anything and put it in their newspaper."
The White House press secretary Sarah Sanders in a statement said that the author of the piece should resign.
"The individual behind this piece has chosen to deceive, rather than support, the duly elected President of the United States. He is not putting country first, but putting himself and his ego ahead of the will of the American people. This coward should do the right thing and resign," she wrote in the statement.
"The Vice President puts his name on his Op-Eds. The @nytimes should be ashamed and so should the person who wrote the false, illogical, and gutless op-ed. Our office is above such amateur acts," tweeted the Vice President Mike Pence's Department Chief of Staff and Communication Director.
The newspaper, however, revealed that the identity of the author cannot be revealed as it may jeopardize the official's job.
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