Journalists lost their minds over President Trump retweeting a lighthearted meme of an obviously doctored photo showing him placing a Medal of Honor around the military working dog who helped take down ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. To really hammer the point home, The New York Times wrote a story about it.
Running under the headline, “Trump Tweets Faked Photo of Hero Dog Getting a Medal,” the two authors of the piece made clear that the photo, created by The Daily Wire, was not real, but a doctored version of a 2017 AP photo from the ceremony awarding the Medal of Honor to retired Army medic James C. McCloughan.
The best part of the story, however, was that they reached out to McCloughan for comment (presumably hoping he’d be just as horrified as they were)—and he laughed.
Military working dogs have played an integral role in U.S. military operations for decades—a fact McCloughan was well aware of, having worked with one in Vietnam.
“This recognizes the dog is part of that team of brave people,” he told the Times.
The NYT was so shook by the photoshop of the dog getting the Medal of Honor that they reached out to the Vietnam veteran who was originally in the photo for comment.
— Andrew Clark?? (@AndrewHClark) October 30, 2019
His answer is epic and he even expressed concern about the dog's injuries. ?? ?? pic.twitter.com/pE7iDoWwGA
Twitter users were quick to mock the Times.
The absurdity of this concocted outrage goes even deeper when you realise the medal has paw prints on it ?? ??
— Alan Lewis (@AlanLew56185276) October 31, 2019
The media have long lost their credibility. Now they are tossing away their sense of humour, swapping it for unintentional self-parody
My God your paper is a huge embarrassment.
— SB (@ShannonCLK) October 31, 2019
Hoo boy; without journalisming, what ever would us simpletoans do?
— Christopher Long (@OctaneBoy) October 31, 2019
The New York Times did a whole story on this, with two reporters on it. Oh, and the actual medal of honor winner laughed about it and said he was not offended. Of course he wasn’t. Only silly media people were offended. https://t.co/xzoIzSiEYm
— Brit Hume (@brithume) October 30, 2019
The Daily Wire then trolled the Times over the piece.
This should keep the NYT busy for a while pic.twitter.com/OTjy1iuOOr
— The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) October 30, 2019
President Trump, meanwhile, confirmed the dog, whose name he declassified to the shock of journalists, will be coming to the White House next week.
Thank you Daily Wire. Very cute recreation, but the “live” version of Conan will be leaving the Middle East for the White House sometime next week! https://t.co/Z1UfhxsSpT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2019