Want to know why President Donald Trump calls it “the failing New York Times”? Look no further than the Gray Lady’s coverage of the bombings of Iran — specifically, their ludicrous “fact check” of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s media briefing Sunday morning.
The “fact check” — and there aren’t air-quotes emphatic enough for that, as you’ll find out in a second — came as Hegseth told the press, “American deterrence is back” and praised the president’s “bold and brilliant” strategy.
“When this president speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth said, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“This mission was not and has not been about regime change. The president authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program.”
.@SecDef: “This mission was not and has not been about regime change. The President authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program.” pic.twitter.com/azeeGBm4wZ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2025
That wasn’t what got fact-checked, nor anything from Hegseth’s description of the attack, where he noted that B-2 bombers were able to fly all the way from Missouri, undetected, to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities:
. @SecDef : “Iran is calculating the reality that planes flew from the middle of America in MISSOURI over night, completely undetected, over 3 of their most highly sensitive sites. And we were able to destroy nuclear capabilities, and our boys in those bombers are on their way… pic.twitter.com/qGOWNc9xaR
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) June 22, 2025
Did you catch the important part? You may not have, but thank God for John Ismay of the Times for pointing it out:
Do you read to the New York Times?
In the briefing, Hegseth referred to B-2 pilots as “our boys on those bombers,” yet both men and women have trained to fly them.
Uh-oh! Time to drag Hegseth before Congress and ask him if he fully appreciates the importance of intersectionality.
I suppose this is a live blog of the Iranian attacks and not a polished piece, but the writers didn’t necessarily need to say anything if they didn’t have anything worthwhile to say — and Ismay certainly didn’t, with one of his other contributions being this gem:
Hegseth’s remarks are following a familiar script — praising President Trump, disparaging the Biden administration, and offering a religious proclamation: “We give glory to God.”
Breaking: Secretary of Defense a believing Christian and a Republican. Film at 11.
This “fact check” and the coverage in general was simultaneously both 1) terrible and 2) very on brand for the Times. Not unpredictably, Ismay’s missive got beat up on social media:
The Times is ON IT pic.twitter.com/P7IYvLsRGj
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) June 22, 2025
John Ismay of the New York Times, everyone! pic.twitter.com/JyxMbKrCCV
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) June 22, 2025
If you guys ever sit around and wonder why the American public despises your profession, take a look at this beauty from your boy @johnismay pic.twitter.com/ehXaFxqU0w
— Matt (@MattBesq) June 22, 2025
Critical live fact checking from the NYT. This is why we subscribe. https://t.co/rvci7SVQcT
— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) June 22, 2025
Well, there is at least one thing to be thankful for:
All of a sudden, they know what a woman is?
— MAGA Jersey Girl (@Lainie19148) June 22, 2025
But happily, we’ve now been warned of the mephitic dangers of calling the people who fly our warplanes “our boys on those bombers.” After all, both men and women are trained to fly them!
You have done enough, Secretary Hegseth. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?
And the New York Times still wonders why Trump — and his supporters — refer to them as “failing.”
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