The Donald blasts the Times over anti-Trump lawsuit coverage

Donald Trump appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” this morning to respond to a New York Times story that honed in on two lawsuits filed against the real estate developer (see video above). One lawsuit alleges that Trump misrepresented his involvement in several Florida buildings that bear his name but were developed by a third party, while the other claims classes at his for-profit Trump University are little more than “infomercials.” Trump defended his licensing business by pointing out that prospective buyers are provided with paperwork that clearly detail his involvement in the residences, and reminded viewers that his university has garnered a 98 percent approval rate, and that the allegations are based on the opinions held by a select few who unfairly target him. That, he said, made for an unfair story, leading Trump to take the story’s author, Michael Barbaro, to task for lacking “the guts” to appear on the segment opposite him. (Barbaro backed out at the last minute, according to CNBC.) Unwilling to leave any target unaccounted for, Trump proceeded to blast the gray lady herself. “I think it’s disgraceful,” he said. “The way the New York Times behaves is a shame.” Not one to criticize without offering suggestions for improvements, Trump had a story idea for the Times to consider. “They ought to write a story about themselves,” he said, “how they lost a billion dollars buying the Boston Globe and how they lost hundreds of millions of dollars to a smart developer when the developer flipped their property for a profit.” He added: “That’s really the story.”