The New York Times hit back at President Donald Trump for branding coverage of Iran as “treasonous” in a clash with its White House and National Security Correspondent David Sanger on Friday.

Trump’s remarks came during an Air Force One gaggle as the president returned from his visit to China and Sanger pressed him on the prospect of renewed strikes on Iran.

“What would the use be in repeating the bombing?” Sanger asked. “You did it for 38 days and you did not get the political changes in Iran.”

Trump immediately rejected the premise of the question and launched into a lengthy tirade against the reporter and The Times.

“I got a total military victory. But the fake news, guys like you, write incorrectly. You’re a fake guy,” Trump said.

“People like you that don’t write the truth, you know, you should write,” he continued. “I actually think it’s sort of treasonous what you write, but you and The New York Times and CNN I would say are the worst.”

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Trump added. “I actually think it is treason when you write, like, ‘They’re doing well militarily,’ and they have no navy, no air force, no anti-anything.”

Sanger did not respond during the exchange, which took place at close range in front of other reporters.

Hours later a spokesperson for The Times pushed back against Trump’s comments in a public statement:

Reporting isn’t treason. It’s foundational to a free press and the work that America’s founders wrote the First Amendment to protect. That includes making clear when the claims of government officials and the reality of their actions don’t line up. Our reporters, in this case, have been working carefully to provide the public with the fullest possible understanding of the reality of the military action in Iran. We will continue this important, constitutionally protected work.

Since the outset of the campaign against Iran, the White House and Pentagon have criticized cable news networks and major outlets for its reporting on the war.

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