Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Donald Trump Met With TMZ Founder Harvey Levin In The Oval Office
Harvey Levin. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)
Donald Trump spoke with TMZ founder Harvey Levin on Wednesday in the Oval Office for about an hour, reports the New York Times. The meeting was first covered at Entitymag.com.
This comes as a big WTF, as Trump has basically gone on a worldwide tour of bashing all corners of the media. In February he literally said that the media was the "enemy of the people." He also announced that he will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April (several news outlets said "So what?" and decided to bail as well).
And did we mention that the L.A. Times, CNN, The New York Times, Politico, and BuzzFeed were all barred from a February briefing? Hell, even Breitbart found itself in some hot water when it blamed Reince Priebus for the ignominious departure of Mike Flynn.
So, every which way you look at it, the Trump administration has been at odds with the media. But it seems that TMZ (which broke this news today) is in the clear.
What was Levin doing at the White House (in the Oval Office, no less)? Sources told the Times that Levin and Trump were talking about the possibility of an interview for Fox News. Last fall, Levin had spoke with Trump on a special called OBJECTified: Donald Trump. The interview led to a spinoff series called OBJECTified, which is slated to begin this fall. Sources say that Levin was approaching Trump for an interview for the new series.
As noted at Paste Magazine, Trump's meeting with Levin comes before the President has even made the effort to make contact several countries. They include:
China, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, Poland, Turkey, Iraq, Thailand, every country in Africa save for Egypt, and every single nation in the western hemisphere south of Mexico.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
