President Donald Trump's fiery social media attack on New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman ignited swift backlash on Friday, with critics piling on almost immediately.

Trump called Haberman an "unattractive person," a "scammer," and a "stalker" in the Friday post, while demanding that she surrender "any and all money" earned from reporting about him. The barrage of threats and insults came in response to a report about his plans for the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Haberman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning White House correspondent who has covered Trump since his days as a New York real estate figure and media fixture, has long been one of his most-cited and most-frequently-attacked journalistic chroniclers. Her reporting on his presidencies and business dealings has repeatedly drawn his public ire over the years, making Friday's outburst a continuation of a years-long pattern rather than a first exchange between the two. The demand that a reporter forfeit earnings from coverage also drew attention given its unusual framing as a condition targeting a specific journalist's work.

"And to think, he was given a seat on the stage at the WHCA dinner," posted Sam Stein of The Bulwark, referring to the White House Correspondents' Association's annual gathering of journalists and officials.

Podcaster and political commentator Mario Nawfal told his followers on X that Trump "escalated considerably" after denying Haberman's reporting — to his own disadvantage.

"Whatever the original scheduling story was, Trump has now responded with approximately 14 stories' worth of material," Nawfal wrote.

The popular political-analysis account @TheWarMonitor suggested that Trump was more concerned about who spoke to Haberman than about the substance of her report.

"Meanwhile, he's probably working hard trying to find the one who leaked it," the post said.

Spencer Hakimian, a hedge fund founder and podcast host, bluntly summarized the president's Friday afternoon tirade: "Trump calls Maggie Haberman an unattractive maggot."

The author of the "Stuff Happens" newsletter, who goes by the social media name @HistoryBoomer, called Trump's attack "pitiful."

"His ego was hurt, and he had to throw a tantrum," he wrote on X. "Trump is a whiny toddler."

"Enough is enough, America," added conservative user @kountry_kool.

Haberman has not yet publicly responded to Trump's insults. Whether the exchange prompts any reaction from the Times newsroom or press-freedom groups, or whether Trump escalates further, remains to be seen.

and to think, he was given a seat on the stage at the WHCA dinner. — Sam Stein (@samstein) August 28, 2026