President Trump quoted as an anonymous source just days after demanding a ban on anonymous sources


President Trump was quoted anonymously in a CNN story published Tuesday, BuzzFeed News reports. He was apparently referred to in the article simply as "a senior White House official."
On Friday, Trump insisted "there be no more sources" in news reports after expressing frustration about what he alleged were "very dishonest people." The media "shouldn't be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody's name," Trump told the audience at CPAC. "Let their name be put out there. A source says that Donald Trump is a horrible, horrible human being — let them say it to my face."
Attendees of Tuesday's private background meeting between the president and media bigwigs told BuzzFeed News that Trump replied to a question from a Fox News anchor about potentially breaking promises to his base by allowing legal status for certain undocumented immigrants with a comment that there has to be "a softening on both sides. There's got to be a coming together." In CNN's report of the story, the quote is attributed to a "senior White House official."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A person familiar with the terms of the meeting told BuzzFeed News that "reporters were allowed to put some of Trump's comments back on the record at 6 p.m." CNN updated some of the article's language after the embargo to reflect quotes as being from Trump while others were not changed.
It is not the first time Trump has discussed himself via a made-up mouthpiece. In the 1990s, Trump reportedly pretended to be his own publicist on the phone with tabloid reporters in order to boast about himself.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Labubu: the 'creepy' dolls sparking brawls in the shops
Craze for the pint-sized soft toys has reached fever pitch among devotees
-
The top period dramas to stream now
The Week Recommends Heaving bosoms and billowing shirts are standard fare in these historical TV classics
-
Women need more pain management during gynecological procedures
Under the radar Pain should no longer be ignored
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges
-
Germany lifts Kyiv missile limits as Trump, Putin spar
speed read Russia's biggest drone and missile attacks of the war prompted Trump to post that Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'
-
Trump DOJ said to pay $5M to family of Jan. 6 rioter
speed read The US will pay a hefty sum to the family of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot on January 6