WASHINGTON D.C April 4, 2026 – In a strongly worded Truth Social post shared Friday night by the White House Rapid Response account, President Donald J. Trump slammed ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, calling his latest book a work of fiction filled with “fictitious quotes” and stories that “bear no relationship to the truth.”
Trump’s statement, which was reposted by the official @RapidResponse47 account, reads in full:
“Third rate news ‘anchor’ Jonathan Karl of ABC Fake News, the worst and most corrupt Network in the business, wrote another made up book about me where his stories and ‘reporting’ bare no relationship to the truth. ABC was already forced to pay me $16,000,000 because of their false and misleading reporting. That was a Liddle’ George Slopadopolus error, but Karl is worse. A waste of time – Fictitious quotes. Don’t buy the book! President DJT”
The book in question is Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America, published by Dutton in October 2025. It is Karl’s latest entry following previous bestsellers such as Tired of Winning, Betrayal, and Front Row at the Trump Show. The volume examines the 2024 presidential campaign and the early days of Trump’s second term.
Trump has repeatedly accused Karl and ABC News of biased and inaccurate coverage. He referenced the network’s recent $16 million settlement stemming from false and defamatory statements made by George Stephanopoulos regarding the president.
The White House Rapid Response team amplified the president’s message by posting a screenshot of the Truth Social statement along with the direct link, signaling strong official pushback against what the administration views as continued media attacks.
Supporters quickly reacted to the post, with some pledging to avoid the book while others noted the president’s criticism often boosts sales — a phenomenon sometimes called the “Trump effect” on book publicity.
This latest exchange highlights the ongoing tension between President Trump and major legacy media outlets as his administration advances its America First agenda.
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