“The Sanewashing of Trump Continues”: Critics Blast NYT Headline on Trump’s Comments About Genetics
Donald Trump Campaigns For President In Wisconsin (Photo Credit: by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Critics expressed outrage over a New York Times headline on Wednesday night, arguing it failed to capture the full context and severity of former President Donald Trump’s statements on genetics. The article focused on Trump’s long-held belief in the so-called “racehorse breeding theory,” which suggests that strong genes lead to superior people. However, critics said the headline downplayed the racially charged nature of the report.
The New York Times article noted that Trump is “reviving” an “old habit” by invoking his fascination with genes and genetics as the election approaches. “For decades, including long before he became a political figure, Mr. Trump has been publicly obsessed with bloodlines and his stated belief that genetics are the best predictor of a person’s success,” the report said. “He has repeatedly commented on what he described as his, his family’s, and his supporters’ good genes, and on others’ bad genes.”
The controversy deepened when Trump told a conservative podcaster this week that he believes murder is hereditary. “You know, now, a murderer, I believe this, it’s in their genes. And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now,” Trump stated.
The Trump campaign later clarified that the former president was “clearly referring to murderers, not migrants,” but the comment sparked widespread condemnation. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called Trump’s remark “vile, disturbing, hateful.”
Despite the report’s detailed coverage, it was the headline that drew backlash online. The Times initially titled the piece: “In remarks about migrants, Donald Trump invoked his long-held fascination with genes and genetics.” Many critics argued that this wording failed to convey the racial undertones and controversial nature of Trump’s comments.
The satirical “New York Times Pitchbot” account, known for parodying the newspaper’s headlines, mocked the headline on social media, sharing a screenshot and captioning it, “Hard to compete with this.”
Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan criticized the headline, tweeting, “The sanewashing of Trump continues.” Other commentators echoed this sentiment, with David Corn of Mother Jones sarcastically writing, “Trump’s practically a scientist!!!”
Mark Jacob, a former editor at The Chicago Tribune & Sun-Times, commented, “This New York Times headline makes it seem as if Trump has a deep intellectual curiosity about genetics instead of stating the obvious fact that he’s simply a racist.”
Additional figures, including journalist Laura Rozen and actor Bradley Whitford, expressed disbelief and frustration over the newspaper’s framing. “My god,” Rozen tweeted, while Whitford wrote, “JFC @nytimes. JFC,” referencing his dissatisfaction.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Trump’s controversial statements and how media outlets choose to frame them, with critics accusing some publications of downplaying or sanitizing his rhetoric.
