WH official pens anonymous NY Times op-ed calling Trump 'anti-democratic,' 'petty and ineffective'

The New York Times on Wednesday published an explosive opinion piece written by an anonymous senior White House official who described a "two-track presidency" in which top officials are "working diligently from within to frustrate parts of [President Trump's] agenda and his worst inclinations." The piece quickly triggered anger from inside the White House, as President Trump called it "gutless," and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders demanded the unnamed author "resign." The New York Times on Wednesday published an explosive opinion piece written by an anonymous senior White House official who described a "two-track presidency" in which top officials are "working diligently from within to frustrate parts of [President Trump's] agenda and his worst inclinations." The piece quickly triggered anger from inside the White House, as President Trump called it "gutless," and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders demanded the unnamed author "resign." The Times' Twitter account indicated that the author was a man. However, a Times spokesperson told Fox News that the tweet in question "was drafted by someone who is not aware of the author's identity, including the gender, so the use of 'he' was an error." Trump responded at a White House meeting with sheriffs from across America. "If I weren't here, I believe the New York Times probably wouldn't exist," the president said to laughter and applause from the assembled sheriffs. "And someday when I'm not president, which hopefully will be in about six-and-a-half years from now, The New York Times and CNN and all of these phony media outlets will be out of business ... because there'll be nothing to write." Trump tweeted late Wednesday night, promising to drain the swamp, vowing, "We will win." In a statement, Sanders said the author of the piece was "a gutless, anonymous source to the failing New York Times."...MORE