The New York Post instructed staff members not to rely on reports from CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, or the Washington Post as primary sources anymore, according to the New York Times.
Michelle Gotthelf, the editor in chief of the New York Post’s website, and several top section editors, sent the directive to staff writers last week, according to three New York Post staff members familiar with the matter.
They have been instructed to independently verify a story reported in any one of the four publications before running it.
High-level editors at the New York Post have been reportedly concerned about the publications’ coverage of President Donald Trump and the GOP, since most stories written by CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, or the Washington Post are objectively biased against conservatives.
Editors were specifically upset about two stories New York Post staff writers pulled from the liberal outlets: One from CNN that said Vice President Mike Pence had not ruled out using the 25th Amendment against President Trump, and one from the Washington Post that alleged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell supported Democrats’ impeachment effort against Trump.
This change comes as the New York Post, which is a part of conservative titan Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, tries to figure out its stance toward Trump.
The publications’ opinion pages have typically been Trump-friendly, but on Dec. 27 the editorial board seemed to make a sharp break, publishing an editorial calling on Trump to “end this dark charade” by conceding to Democrat Joe Biden.
“You have tweeted that, as long as Republicans have ‘courage,’ they can overturn the results and give you four more years in office,” the Post editorial said. “In other words, you’re cheering for an undemocratic coup.”
Trump ultimately conceded following the certification of the Electoral College vote by a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, after having exhausted all legal and political challenges for the vote fraud that likely swung the race for Biden.
He did not congratulate Biden, but did say he would make sure a peaceful transition of power took place.
“A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20,” Trump said. “My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power.”
Democrats and some anti-Trump Republicans have claimed that the pro-Trump demonstration at the US Capitol that day, which delved into chaos following a rally with the president, was tantamount to an insurrection.
