*By Conor White* President Trump took his latest shot at the New York Times Friday, [calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions](https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/07/politics/donald-trump-jeff-sessions-investigation/index.html) to investigate the publication and find out who wrote the anonymous op-ed that rocked the White House this week. While the president has threatened to take action, legal experts haven't suggested the Times violated any laws in posting the piece, but the question of whether it *should* have remains. "I think it was ethically fine," Margaret Sullivan, Washington Post media columnist and former Public Editor for the New York Times, said Friday in an interview on Cheddar. "I think they do run up against some issues if they also decide to have reporters reveal the identity." In most newsrooms, the opinion and news sections operate as separate entities. But they may collide if the Times' own reporters begin to dig for answers, Sullivan said. "This op-ed piece was published by the opinion section, the news section presumably is free to pursue the story, but whether that separation is really going to be honored and be understood is another question." The paper should prepare for a legal battle, and the author should ready him or herself for the consequences, Sullivan said. After all, it seems Trump is arming himself for war. "We're looking at it very strongly from a legal point," the president said to reporters before boarding Air Force One on Friday. "We're going to take a look at what he had, what he gave, what he's talking about, also where he is right now." Trump has called the writer "gutless," and while Sullivan doesn't agree with that sentiment, she acknowledged that the anonymous nature of the piece is something of a detractor. "If you're going to say something like this that's so negative and so detrimental, it would be much more important to put your name behind it," she said. The Times only identified the writer as a "senior official". Many of President Trump's advisers, including Mike Pence, Steve Mnuchin, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mike Pompeo, and Nikki Haley, have adamantly denied they are behind the piece. But Sullivan doesn't think the author will be hidden for long. "I don't think this is going to be a case like Watergate's Deep Throat, where the person, Mark Felt, was a secret for actually decades from almost everyone, I think we're going to know who this person is." For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/should-the-new-york-times-have-published-trump-op-ed).

Share:
More In Politics
Stocks Rally to End Friday Near Session Highs
Christopher Wolfe, CIO at First Republic Private Wealth Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he says he is surprised that the first quarter was the first down period in a long time, but adds that the second quarter could be difficult with a lot of volatility expected.
Major Indexes End Wednesday Near Session Lows
Jeffrey Small, President of Arbor Financial, joins Chedar News' Closing Bell, where he breaks down why stocks closed near session lows on Wednesday and tells viewers what to expect ahead of next earnings season.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee Signs Uber, Lyft Driver Pay Guarantee Into Law
Uber and Lyft drivers are cruising in Washington State, the first U.S. state to set an earnings standard for drivers for the ride-hailing companies. Governor Jay Inslee signed the new minimum pay standard into law Thursday, which also gives drivers access to perks like paid sick time and family medical leave. John Logan, Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Cannabis Legalization Bill Passes House Committee
Jeremy Berke, senior reporter on the cannabis industry for Business Insider, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss developments in cannabis legalization at the federal level. He helps break down the bill and what legalization efforts might look like in the Senate.
How the New 'Don't Say Gay' Law Will Impact Floridians
Selene San Felice, Tampa Bay reporter for Axios Local, and Jennifer Levi, director of the Transgender Rights Project at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) join Cheddar Politics to discuss the impact of the new law targeting LGBTQ communities in Florida schools.
Russian Space Chief: Sanctions Could Imperil Space Station
The head of Russia’s space program says the future of the ISS hangs in the balance after the U.S., EU, and Canadian space agencies missed a deadline to meet Russian demands for lifting sanctions on Russian enterprises and hardware.
Load More