Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was roundly criticized on Thursday after he appeared to mock the handicap of a New York Times reporter during a speech earlier in the week.
The reporter, Serge Kovaleski, who has disputed Trump's claims that thousands in New Jersey cheered the 9/11 attacks, has arthrogryposis, a chronic condition that limits the movement of his arms.
The New York Times told Mashable in a statement that "we're outraged that he would ridicule the physical appearance of one of our reporters."
In a video of the event, Trump can be heard citing an article that Kovaleski wrote when he was working for The Washington Post at the time of the 9/11 attacks, which said that law enforcement had detained and questioned "a number" of people celebrating. Kovaleski told CNN: "I do not recall anyone saying there were thousands, or even hundreds, of people celebrating."
In his speech, Trump said: “Now the poor guy -- you ought to see the guy: ‘Uhh I don’t know what I said. I don’t remember.’ He’s going, ‘I don’t remember. Maybe that’s what I said.’” As he spoke, Trump flailed his arms as he spoke and held his hand at an angle in front of his chest.
“The sad part about it is, it didn’t in the slightest bit jar or surprise me that Donald Trump would do something this low-rent, given his track record,” Kovaleski told The Washington Post. Kovaleski said he's sure Trump remembers him because he covered Trump between 1987 and 1993 as a reporter for the New York Daily News.
A Trump campaign official told The Washington Post on background that Trump was "not aware of any condition and was not mocking his physical appearance in any way."
Trump slammed The New York Times in several tweets on Wednesday night.
The failing @nytimes should be focused on good reporting and the papers financial survival and not with constant hits on Donald Trump!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2015
So, since the people at the @nytimes have made all bad decisions over the last decade, why do people care what they write. Incompetent!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2015
A supporter of Kovaleski started a petition demanding an apology, and fellow journalists tweeted their support.
.@sergenyt is one of the best reporters-- and best people-- I know. This is despicable. https://t.co/KGW0jSl1C4 pic.twitter.com/xpU1M122jX— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) November 25, 2015
Feels personal when my friend and terrific former colleague @sergenyt is shamefully mocked like this. https://t.co/YqefohG0PX— Dan Frosch (@djfroschWSJ) November 25, 2015
It is not the first time Trump has been criticized for appearing to mock someone's handicap. In July, Trump said, “I get called by a guy that can’t buy a pair of pants, I get called names?” referring to the columnist Charles Krauthammer who is paralyzed from the waist down.
In a statement posted to his Twitter account, Trump claimed he was unaware of Kovaleski's condition.
pic.twitter.com/5ztxHpiCiV— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2015
In a later statement, Trump demanded an apology from the New York Times for accusing him of mocking Kovaleski.
pic.twitter.com/T5JBFXOz3F— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2015
Mashable has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment but hasn't heard back yet.
Updated (2:45 PM EST): Updated to include Trump response
Updated (4:20 PM EST): Updated to include Trump response