US President Donald Trump accused the “New York Times“ and several other American media outlets of defamation for publishing stories about his deteriorating physical and mental health and threatened to take action against them.
On December 9, Trump said on Truth Social that he was successfully fulfilling his duties as head of state and was undergoing regular medical examinations. “Despite all the time and effort that I have put into this, the “New York Times“ and a few others like to think that I'm slowing down, that I'm not as sharp as I once was, or that my health has deteriorated, even though they know that's not true and that I'm working very hard, maybe harder than ever," he added.
“I'll know when I start slowing down, but I'm not doing it right now,“ the American leader assured.
“After all that I've done, undergoing medical examinations, mental capacity tests, etc., I believe that the continued publication by the “New York Times“ and others of knowingly false material intended to defame and discredit the President of the United States, constitutes incitement to rebellion and possibly even treason.“ "They are the real enemies of the people and we have to do something about it," he stressed, referring to the media.
At the end of November, the “New York Times“ published an article in which it was noted, among other things, that the 79-year-old Trump was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain his image as an energetic and active politician. The journalists of the publication emphasized the fact that the American leader had previously appeared to have dozed off briefly at White House events several times and had also begun to avoid speaking at times.