Journalists defend Washington Post reporter after Trump attack

Journalists and political figures are defending a Washington Post reporter President Trump called to be fired over a misleading tweet about attendance at a Trump rally.

Trump targeted Post reporter Dave Weigel over a tweet that showed empty seats at a Trump rally Friday night. However, the photo was from before the start of the rally and other pictures showed a full crowd at the event.

{mosads}Trump first called for Weigel to apologize, and after the reporter did so, said that Weigel should be fired.

Weigel apologized almost immediately after Trump tweeted at him, and noted that he had deleted the tweet hours earlier after another reporter pointed out that it was inaccurate.

Media figures, as well as former Obama officials, quickly came out in defense of Weigel.

Take a moment and follow @daveweigel, a great reporter and a fantastic guide to this political age. https://t.co/vqsyyhCjN8

— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) December 9, 2017 

Yes, and the official White House response was “doesn’t matter if the video was fake” and we all moved on within hours. https://t.co/kGDWkJjJ9T

— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) December 9, 2017

Trump is attacking @daveweigel because he is sad and vain but also because he doesn’t want his supporters to believe what they read in the @washingtonpost about Mueller

— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) December 9, 2017 

The irony of this clown wanting someone fired for misrepresenting a crowd size is too much https://t.co/MIKZyG8uYZ

— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) December 9, 2017

The president of the United States targeting a reporter for mass harassment is a *much* bigger deal than a reporter mistakenly tweeting a photo.

— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) December 9, 2017 

The president calling for a journalist to be fired seems like a public threat to the First Amendment. https://t.co/Vx4csNtIP4

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 9, 2017

Tfw you’re the President of the United States and you’re very worked up about a reporter’s minor Twitter blooper https://t.co/6p7jos9wKc

— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) December 9, 2017

The fact is @daveweigel has more integrity than the entire White House staff put together and all Trump’s lackeys know it, too.

— Subscribe to My Newsletter (@mattyglesias) December 9, 2017

He apologized for his tweet and explained he made an error and got it wrong. Weigel is an honest journalist — anyone that knows him knows he wouldn’t intentionally tweet misinformation. https://t.co/FBzcuMnZEo

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) December 9, 2017

TIRED: President Obama suggested that Fox News is especially adversarial. This is unacceptable.

WIRED: President Trump singles out a journalist sending his 44 million followers in to attack. This is Saturday.

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) December 9, 2017