Donald Trump reportedly yelled at media bigwigs for publishing a picture of him with a double chin

(Image credit: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)

published 22 November 2016

Donald Trump had what you might call a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad meeting with major news networks on Monday, and while the conversation was off the record, some participants have since leaked that the sit-down was "like a f—ing firing squad" with anchors going in thinking they would discuss "the access they would get to the Trump administration, but instead they got a Trump-style dressing down."

The New Yorker reports that "in the presence of television executives and anchors, Trump whined about everything from NBC News reporter Katy Tur's coverage of him to a photograph the news network has used that shows him with a double chin. Why didn't they use 'nicer' pictures?"

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"I have to tell you, I am emotionally f—ing pissed," another participant said. "How can this not influence coverage? I am being totally honest with you. Toward the end of the campaign, it got to a point where I thought that the coverage was all about [Trump's] flaws and problems. And that's legit. But, I thought, O.K., let's give them the benefit of the doubt. After the meeting today, though — and I am being human with you here — I think, F— him! I know I am being emotional about it. And I know I will get over it in a couple of days after Thanksgiving. But I really am offended. This was unprecedented. Outrageous!" [The New Yorker]

In the words of another unnamed person who was in the room, Trump "truly doesn't seem to understand the First Amendment. He doesn't. He thinks we are supposed to say what he says and that's it."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.