Washington Times (1894–1939)
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''The Washington Times'' is an American
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It covers general interest topics with an emphasis on national politics. Its
broadsheet A broadsheet is the largest newspaper format and is characterized by long Vertical and horizontal, vertical pages, typically of in height. Other common newspaper formats include the smaller Berliner (format), Berliner and Tabloid (newspaper ...
daily edition is distributed throughout Washington, D.C. and the greater
Washington metropolitan area The Washington metropolitan area, also referred to as the National Capital Region, Greater Washington, or locally as the DMV (short for Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia), is the metropolitan area comprising Washing ...
, including suburban
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
and
Northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several County (United States), counties and independent city (United States), independent cities in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. ...
. It also publishes a subscription-based weekly tabloid edition aimed at a national audience. The first edition of ''The Washington Times'' was published on May 17, 1982. The newspaper was founded by
Unification Church The Unification Church () is a new religious movement, whose members are called Unificationists or sometimes informally Moonies. It was founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon in Seoul, South Korea, as the Holy Spirit Association for the Unificatio ...
leader
Sun Myung Moon Sun Myung Moon (; born Moon Yong-myeong; 6 January 1920 – 3 September 2012) was a Korean religious leader, also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant, he was the founder of the ...
, and it was owned until 2010 by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate founded by Moon. It is currently owned by Operations Holdings, which is a part of the Unification Church movement. ''The Washington Times'' has been known for its conservative political stance, often supporting the policies of Republican presidents
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
,
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushBefore the outcome of the 2000 United States presidential election, he was usually referred to simply as "George Bush" but became more commonly known as "George H. W. Bush", "Bush Senior," "Bush 41," and even "Bush th ...
,
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
, and
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. During the 1990s and 2000s, ''The Washington Times'' published stories supporting neo-confederate historical revisionism. It also drew controversy by publishing
conspiracy theories A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...
and racist columns by a former editor about U.S. president
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
. ''The Washington Times'' has published columns contradicting
scientific consensus Scientific consensus is the generally held judgment, position, and opinion of the majority or the supermajority of scientists in a particular field of study at any particular time. Consensus is achieved through scholarly communication at confer ...
on multiple environmental and health issues.


History


1980s

''The Washington Times'' was founded May 17, 1982, by News World Communications, a
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
-based international media conglomerate associated with the
Unification Church The Unification Church () is a new religious movement, whose members are called Unificationists or sometimes informally Moonies. It was founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon in Seoul, South Korea, as the Holy Spirit Association for the Unificatio ...
, which also owns
United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ce ...
(UPI) and newspapers in
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
, and
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
. Bo Hi Pak, chief aide to Unification Church founder and leader
Sun Myung Moon Sun Myung Moon (; born Moon Yong-myeong; 6 January 1920 – 3 September 2012) was a Korean religious leader, also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant, he was the founder of the ...
, was the founding president and founding chairman of the board. Moon asked Richard L. Rubenstein, a
rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
and college professor who had written on the
Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
, to serve on the board of directors. The newspaper's first editor and publisher was James R. Whelan. ''The Washington Times'' was founded one year after '' The Washington Star'', a Washington, D.C. daily newspaper, went out of business, leaving the city with ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' as its only daily newspaper. A large percentage of the newspaper's news staff came from the ''Star''. Unusual among daily newspapers when ''The Washington Times'' was founded, the newspaper published full color front pages in all its sections and color elements throughout. It also used ink that it advertised as being less likely to come off on the reader's hands than the type used by ''The Washington Post''. At its start, it had 125 reporters, 25 percent of whom were members of the Unification Church of the United States. President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
read ''The Washington Times'' every day during his presidency. In 1997, he said: "The American people know the truth. You, my friends at ''The Washington Times'', have told it to them. It wasn't always the popular thing to do. But you were a loud and powerful voice. Like me, you arrived in Washington at the beginning of the most momentous decade of the century. Together, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. And—oh, yes—we won the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
." After a brief editorship under Smith Hempstone, Arnaud de Borchgrave, a former UPI and ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...
'' reporter, became executive editor, serving from 1985 to 1991. Borchgrave was credited with encouraging energetic reporting by staff but was known to make unorthodox journalistic decisions. During his tenure, ''The Washington Times'' mounted a fundraising drive for Contra rebels in
Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
and offered rewards for information leading to the arrest of
Nazi war criminals The following is a list of people who were formally indicted for committing war crimes or crimes against humanity on behalf of the Axis powers during World War II, including those who were acquitted or never received judgement. It does not inc ...
. From 1985 to 2008, News World published a weekly
news magazine A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio, or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories in greater depth than newspapers or new ...
called '' Insight on the News'', also called just ''Insight'', as a companion to ''The Washington Times''. ''Insight''s reporting sometimes resulted in journalistic controversy. "News World Communications is the media arm of Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church."


1990s

In 1991, Moon said he had spent between $900 million and $1 billion on ''The Washington Times''. By 2002, Moon had spent between $1.7 billion and $2 billion, according to different estimates. Wesley Pruden, previously a correspondent and then a
managing editor A managing editor (ME) is a senior member of a publication's management team. Typically, the managing editor reports directly to the editor-in-chief and oversees all aspects of the publication. United States In the United States, a managing edi ...
of ''The Washington Times'', was named executive editor in 1991. During his editorship, the paper took a strongly
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
and nativist editorial stance. In 1992,
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
n leader
Kim Il Sung Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...
gave his first and only interview with the Western news media to ''The Washington Times'' reporter
Josette Sheeran Ambassador Josette Sheeran (born 12 June) is a decorated diplomat, humanitarian, entrepreneur and technology leader. She served in the United States Department of State as Under Secretary of State for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cover ...
, who later became executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme. In 1992, ''The Washington Times'' had one-eighth the circulation of ''The Washington Post'' (100,000 compared to 800,000) and two-thirds of its subscribers subscribed to both papers. In 1994, it introduced a weekly national edition, which was published in a tabloid format and distributed nationally. U.S. President
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushBefore the outcome of the 2000 United States presidential election, he was usually referred to simply as "George Bush" but became more commonly known as "George H. W. Bush", "Bush Senior," "Bush 41," and even "Bush th ...
encouraged the political influence of ''The Washington Times'' and other Unification Church movement activism in support of American foreign policy. In 1997, the '' Washington Report on Middle East Affairs,'' which is critical of U.S. and
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
i policies, praised ''The Washington Times'' and its sister publication, '' The Middle East Times'', for what it called their objective and informative coverage of
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
and the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
, while criticizing ''The Washington Times'' for its generally pro-Israel editorial positions. The ''Report'' suggested that these newspapers and ''
The Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles both in Electronic publishing, electronic format and a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 ...
'', each owned by religious institutions, were less influenced by pro-Israel pressure groups than corporate-owned newspapers.


2000s

In 2002, at an event held to celebrate ''The Washington Times'' 20th anniversary, Moon said, "''The Washington Times'' is responsible to let the American people know about God" and "''The Washington Times'' will become the instrument in spreading the truth about God to the world." In 2004, David Ignatius, a correspondent for ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', reported that Chung Hwan Kwak, a leader in the Unification Church, wanted ''The Washington Times'' to "support international organizations such as the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
and to campaign for world peace and interfaith understanding." This, Ignatius wrote, created difficulties for Pruden and some of ''The Washington Times'' columnists. Ignatius also mentioned the Unification Church movement's reconciliatory attitude towards
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
, which at the time included joint business ventures, and Kwak's advocacy for greater understanding between the U.S. and the
Islamic world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...
as issues of contention. Ignatius predicted that conservatives in Congress and the George W. Bush administration would support Pruden's position over Kwak's. In 2006, Moon's son,
Hyun Jin Moon Hyun Jin Preston Moon (born 25 May 1969) is a South Korean social entrepreneur, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, and later the Family Peace Association. His father, Sun Myung Moon, was the founder of the Unification Church, a ...
, president and CEO of News World Communications, dismissed managing editor Francis "Fran" Coombs following accusations of racist editorializing. Coombs had made some racist and
sexist Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to gender roles and stereotypes, and may include the belief that one sex or gender is int ...
comments, for which he was sued by other employees at ''The Washington Times''. In January 2008, Pruden retired, and John F. Solomon, who worked with the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
and had most recently been head of
investigative reporting Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, racial injustice, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend m ...
and mixed media development at ''The Washington Post'', was appointed executive editor. A month later, ''The Washington Times'' changed some of its
style guide A style guide is a set of standards for the writing, formatting, and design of documents. A book-length style guide is often called a style manual or a manual of style. A short style guide, typically ranging from several to several dozen page ...
to conform more to what was becoming mainstream media usage. It announced that it would no longer use words like " illegal aliens" and " homosexual" and, in most cases, opt for "more neutral terminology" like "illegal immigrants" and "gay", respectively. It also decided to stop using "Hillary" when referring to then U.S. Senator
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
, and the word "marriage" in the expression " gay marriage" would no longer appear in quotes in the newspaper. These policy changes drew criticism from some conservatives. '' Prospect'' magazine attributed ''The Washington Times'' apparent political moderation to differences of opinion over the United Nations and North Korea, and wrote, "The Republican right may be losing its most devoted media ally." In November 2009, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reported that ''The Washington Times'' would no longer be receiving funds from the Unification Church movement and might have to cease publication or become an
online publication Electronic publishing (also referred to as e-publishing, digital publishing, or online publishing) includes the digital publication of e-books, Online magazine, digital magazines, and the development of digital library, digital libraries and cat ...
only. Later that year, it dismissed 40 percent of its 370 employees and stopped its subscription service, instead distributing the paper free in some areas of the
Washington metropolitan area The Washington metropolitan area, also referred to as the National Capital Region, Greater Washington, or locally as the DMV (short for Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia), is the metropolitan area comprising Washing ...
, including
federal government A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...
departments and agencies. However, a subscription website owned by the paper, theconservatives.com, and the ''Times'' three-hour
radio program A radio program, radio programme, or radio show is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio. It may be a one-time production, or part of a periodically recurring series. A single program in a series is called an episode. Radio netw ...
, ''America's Morning News'', both continued. The paper also announced that it would cease publication of its Sunday edition, along with other changes, partly in order to end its reliance on subsidies from the Unification Church. On December 31, 2009, ''The Washington Times'' announced that it would no longer be a full-service newspaper, eliminating its metropolitan news and sports sections.


2010s

In July 2010, the Unification Church issued a letter protesting the direction ''The Washington Times'' was taking and urging closer ties with it. In August 2010, a deal was made to sell it to a group more closely related to the movement. Editor-in-chief Sam Dealey said that this was a welcome development among the ''Times'' staff. In November 2010, Moon and a group of former editors purchased ''The Washington Times'' from News World Communications for $1. This ended a conflict within the Moon family that had been threatening to shut down the paper completely. In June 2011, Ed Kelley, formerly of ''
The Oklahoman ''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circul ...
'', was hired as editor overseeing both news and opinion content. In March 2011, ''The Washington Times'' announced that some former staffers would be rehired and that the paper would bring back its sports, metro, and life sections. In 2012, Douglas D. M. Joo stepped down as senior executive, president, and chairman. ''Times'' president Tom McDevitt took his place as chairman, and Larry Beasley was hired as the company's new president and
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
. In March 2013, ''The Washington Times'' partnered with Herring Networks to create a new conservative cable news channel, One America News Network (OAN), which began broadcasting in mid‑2013. In July 2013, ''The Washington Times'' hired David Keene, former president of the
National Rifle Association The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent Gun politics in the United States, gun rights ...
and chairman of the American Conservative Union, to serve as its opinion editor. In September 2013, Solomon returned as editor and vice president of content and business development. Solomon's tenure was marked by a focus on profitability. In September 2015, the newspaper had its first profitable month, ending a streak of monthly financial losses over the paper's first 33 years. In December 2015, Solomon left for '' Circa News''. ''The Washington Times'' opinion editor Charles Hurt was one of Trump's earliest supporters in Washington, D.C. During the 2016 presidential election, ''The Washington Times'' did not endorse a presidential candidate, but it endorsed Trump for reelection in the 2020 presidential election.


2020s

In 2020, during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, ''The Washington Times'' received between $1 million and $2 million in federal-backed small business loans from Citibank as related of the Paycheck Protection Program. The Washington Times which it said helped retain of its 91 employees. During the 2024 presidential election, ''The Washington Times'' endorsed Trump for election.


Reactions

In the 1980s, reporters for ''The Washington Times'' visited imprisoned then South African activist
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
, who wrote about the newspaper in his autobiography, '' Long Walk to Freedom''. He said, "They seemed less intent on finding out my views than on proving that I was a Communist and a terrorist. All of their questions were slanted in that direction, and when I reiterated that I was neither a Communist nor a terrorist, they attempted to show that I was not a Christian either by asserting that the Reverend Martin Luther King never resorted to violence." ''The Washington Times'' holds a
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
political stance. In 1995, the ''
Columbia Journalism Review The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' (''CJR'') is a biannual magazine for professional journalists that has been published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. Its original purpose was "to assess the performance ...
'' wrote that ''The Washington Times'' "is like no major city daily in America in the way that it wears its political heart on its sleeve. No major paper in America would dare be so partisan." In 2002, ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' reported that the newspaper "was established by Moon to combat communism and be a conservative alternative to what Moon perceived as the liberal leanings of ''The Washington Post''. Since then, the paper has fought to prove its editorial independence, trying to demonstrate that it is neither a "Moonie paper" nor a booster of the political right but rather a fair and balanced reporter of the news." In October 2002, veteran ''Washington Post'' editor
Ben Bradlee Benjamin Crowninshield Bradlee (, 1921 – , 2014) was an American journalist who served as managing editor and later as executive editor of ''The Washington Post'', from 1965 to 1991. He became a public figure when the ''Post'' joined ''The ...
complimented ''The Washington Times'', saying, "I see them get some local stories that I think the ''Post'' doesn't have and should have had." In 2007, '' Mother Jones'' reported that ''The Washington Times'' had become "essential reading for political news junkies" soon after its founding, and described it as a "conservative newspaper with close ties to every Republican administration since Reagan." In August 2008, in a '' Harper's'' essay, American historian Thomas Frank linked ''The Washington Times'' to the modern American conservative movement, saying: "There is even a daily newspaper—''The Washington Times''—published strictly for the movement's benefit, a
propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...
sheet whose distortions are so obvious and so alien that it puts one in mind of those official party organs one encounters when traveling in
authoritarian Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political ''status quo'', and reductions in democracy, separation of powers, civil liberties, and ...
countries." In January 2011, conservative commentator Paul Weyrich said, "''The Washington Post'' became very arrogant and they just decided that they would determine what was news and what wasn't news and they wouldn't cover a lot of things that went on. And ''The Washington Times'' has forced the ''Post'' to cover a lot of things that they wouldn't cover if the ''Times'' wasn't in existence." In December 2012, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' wrote that ''The Washington Times'' had become "a crucial training ground for many rising conservative journalists and a must-read for those in the movement. A veritable who's who of conservatives— Tony Blankley, Frank J. Gaffney Jr., Larry Kudlow, John Podhoretz and Tony Snow—has churned out copy for its pages." The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' noted that reporters for ''The Washington Times'' had used it as a springboard to other mainstream news outlets.


Awards

*In 2013, ''The Washington Times'' won two Sigma Delta Chi Awards from the
Society of Professional Journalists The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, lette ...
for excellence in journalism, including "Professional Journalists for Deadline Reporting (Daily Circulation of 1–50,000)" and "Investigative Reporting (Daily Circulation 1–50,000)". *In 2014, Thom Loverro, lead sports columnist for ''The Washington Times'', won a Sigma Delta Chi Award for Sports Column Writing. *In 2018, Guy Taylor and Dan Boylan, reporters for ''The Washington Times'', won Honorable Mentions for the 31st annual Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency. *In 2019, ''The Washington Times'' advertising department won first and third place in the VPA News and Advertising contest in the Special Sections (standalone section non-slick cover) category. Outstanding design and creative artwork for the Qatar and Rolling Thunder Special Section covers landed the department the award. *In 2020, Alexander Hunter, designer and editorial illustrator for ''The Washington Times'', won the Sigma Delta Chi Award for excellence in journalism.


Controversies


General controversies

Some former employees, including Whelan, have insisted that ''The Washington Times'' was always under Moon's control. Whelan, whose contract guaranteed editorial autonomy, left the paper in 1984 when the owners refused to renew his contract. Three years later, editorial page editor William P. Cheshire and four of his staff resigned, charging that, at the explicit direction of Sang Kook Han, a top official of the Unification Church, executive editor Arnaud de Borchgrave had stifled editorial criticism of political repression in South Korea under President
Chun Doo-hwan Chun Doo-hwan (; 18 January 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a South Korean politician, army general and military dictator who served as the fifth president of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Prior to his accession to the presidency, he was the cou ...
. In 1982, ''The Washington Times'' refused to publish film critic Scott Sublett's negative review of the movie '' Inchon'', which was also sponsored by the Unification Church. In 1988, ''The Washington Times'' published a misleading story suggesting that Democratic presidential candidate
Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis ( ; born November 3, 1933) is an American politician and lawyer who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1991. He is the longest-serving governor in Massachusetts history and only the s ...
had sought psychiatric help, and included a quote from Dukakis' sister-in-law saying "it is possible" he visited a psychiatrist. However, ''The Washington Times'' misleadingly clipped the full quote by the sister-in-law, which was: "It's possible, but I doubt it." Reporter Peggy Weyrich quit in 1991 after one of her articles about Anita Hill's testimony in the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nominee hearings was rewritten to depict Hill as a "fantasizer". During the presidency of
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
''The Washington Times'' reporting on his alleged sex scandals was often picked up by other, more respected, news media which contributed to enhanced public awareness of the topic, and eventually to Clinton's impeachment. In 1999 the Senate voted to acquit Clinton, allowing him to complete his second term as president. In a 1997 column in ''The Washington Times'', Frank Gaffney falsely alleged that a seismic incident in
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
was a nuclear detonation at that nation's Novaya Zemlya test site, which would have meant that Russia had violated the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTB). Subsequent scientific analysis of the Novaya Zemlya event showed that it was a routine
earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...
. Reporting on the allegation, the '' Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists'' observed that following its publication: " fax machines around Washington, D.C. and across the country poured out pages detailing Russian duplicity. They came from Frank Gaffney." In 2002, ''The Washington Times'' published a story accusing the National Educational Association (NEA), the largest teachers' union in the United States, of teaching students that the policies of the U.S. government were partly responsible for the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The NEA responded to the story by denying all of its accusations. Brendan Nyhan, later a political science professor at the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
, wrote that ''The Washington Times'' story was a lie and a myth. In 2018, ''The Washington Times'' published a commentary piece by retired U.S. Navy admiral James A. Lyons which promoted conspiracy theories about the murder of Seth Rich. Lyon wrote that it was "well known in intelligence circles that Seth Rich and his brother, Aaron Rich, downloaded the DNC emails and was paid by
WikiLeaks WikiLeaks () is a non-profit media organisation and publisher of leaked documents. It is funded by donations and media partnerships. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous sources. It was founded in 2006 by ...
for that information." The piece cited no evidence for the assertion. Aaron Rich filed a lawsuit against ''The Washington Times'', saying that it acted with "reckless disregard for the truth" and that it did not retract or remove the piece after "receiving notice of the falsity of the statements about Aaron after the publication". Rich and ''The Washington Times'' settled their lawsuit, and the paper issued an unusually robust retraction. On January 6, 2021, after violent pro-Trump rioters attacked the United States Capitol, ''The Washington Times'' published a false story quoting an unidentified retired military officer claiming that the
facial recognition system A facial recognition system is a technology potentially capable of matching a human face from a digital image or a Film frame, video frame against a database of faces. Such a system is typically employed to authenticate users through ID verif ...
company XRVision had used its technology and identified two members of antifa amid the mob. XRVision quickly denied this, sending a
cease and desist A cease and desist letter is a document sent by one party, often a business, to warn another party that they believe the other party is committing an unlawful act, such as copyright infringement, and that they will take legal action if the oth ...
to ''The Washington Times'', and issued a statement saying that its technology had actually identified two Neo-Nazis and a believer in the QAnon conspiracy theory and that it had not done any detection work for a retired military officer authorized to share that information. On January 7, the article was removed from the website and replaced with a corrected version. Before the correction, Representative Matt Gaetz cited the original story as proof that antifa were partially responsible for the attack in the floor debate of the
2021 United States Electoral College vote count The count of the United States Electoral College, Electoral College ballots during a Joint session of the United States Congress, joint session of the 117th United States Congress, pursuant to the Electoral Count Act, on January 6–7, 2021, ...
, and it was widely shared on social media. ''The Washington Times'' has twice published articles, one written by the
ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
of
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
to the United States and one by an attorney and lobbyist for the Turkish government, that featured Armenian genocide denial.


Science coverage


Climate change denial

''The Washington Times'' has promoted climate change denial. Michael E. Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at
Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...
, characterizes ''The Washington Times'' as a prominent outlet that propagates "climate change disinformation". Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
, and Erik M. Conway, historian of science at
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a Federally funded research and development centers, federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) in La Cañada Flintridge, California, Crescenta Valley, United States. Founded in 1936 by Cali ...
at the California Institute of Technology, wrote in their 2010 book '' Merchants of Doubt'' that ''The Washington Times'' has given the public a false sense that the science of anthropogenic climate change was in dispute by giving disproportionate coverage of fringe viewpoints and by preventing scientists from rebutting coverage in ''The Washington Times''. ''The Washington Times'' reprinted a column by Steve Milloy criticizing research of climate change in the Arctic without disclosing Milloy's financial ties to the
fossil fuel A fossil fuel is a flammable carbon compound- or hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the buried remains of prehistoric organisms (animals, plants or microplanktons), a process that occurs within geolog ...
industry. In 1993, ''The Washington Times'' published articles purporting to debunk climate change. It headlined its story about the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on climate change: "Under the deal, the use of coal, oil and other fossil fuel in the United States would be cut by more than one-third by 2002, resulting in lower standards of living for consumers and a long-term reduction in economic growth." During the Climatic Research Unit email controversy (also known as "Climategate") in 2009 in the lead-up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, ''The Washington Times'' wrote in an editorial: "these revelations of fudged science should have a cooling effect on global-warming hysteria and the panicked policies that are being pushed forward to address the unproven theory." Eight committees investigated the controversy and found no evidence of fraud or scientific misconduct. In 2010, ''The Washington Times'' published an article claiming that February 2010 snow storms "Undermin The Case For Global Warming One Flake At A Time". A 2014 ''The Washington Times'' editorial mocked the "global warming scam" and asserted: "The planetary thermometer hasn't budged in 15 years. Wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes and other 'extreme' weather events are at normal or below-normal levels. Pacific islands aren't submerged. There's so much ice the polar bears are celebrating." ''The Washington Times'' cited a blog post in support of these claims; PolitiFact fact-checked the claims in the blog post and concluded it was "pants-on-fire" false. ''The Washington Times'' later said that a NASA scientist claimed that global warming was on a "hiatus" and that NASA had found evidence of global cooling; Rebecca Leber of ''
The New Republic ''The New Republic'' (often abbreviated as ''TNR'') is an American magazine focused on domestic politics, news, culture, and the arts from a left-wing perspective. It publishes ten print magazines a year and a daily online platform. ''The New Y ...
'' said that the NASA scientist in question said the opposite of what ''The Washington Times'' claimed. In 2015, ''The Washington Times'' published a column by Republican Texas congressman Lamar Smith in which he argued that the work of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) is an American scientific and regulatory agency charged with Weather forecasting, forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, Hydrography, charting the seas, ...
was "not good science, utscience fiction." The
American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...
and six other scientific organizations objected to Smith's politicalisation of scientific research saying: "Scientists should not be subjected to fraud investigations or harassment simply for providing scientific results that some may see as politically controversial. Science cannot thrive when policymakers—regardless of party affiliation—use policy disagreements as a pretext to attack scientific conclusions." In November 2021, a study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate described ''The Washington Times'' as being among "ten fringe publishers" that together were responsible for nearly 70 percent of
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
user interactions with content that denied climate change. Facebook disputed the study's methodology.


Ozone depletion denial

In the 1990s, ''The Washington Times'' published columns which cast doubt on the scientific consensus on the causes of ozone depletion (which had led to the "ozone hole"). It published columns disputing the science as late as 2000. In 1991, NASA scientists warned of the potential of a major Arctic ozone hole developing in the spring of 1992 due to elevated levels of chlorine monoxide in the Arctic
stratosphere The stratosphere () is the second-lowest layer of the atmosphere of Earth, located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. The stratosphere is composed of stratified temperature zones, with the warmer layers of air located higher ...
. However, as the Arctic winter was unusually warm, the chemical reactions needed for ozone depletion did not occur. Even though the science was not incorrect, ''The Washington Times'', along with other conservative media, subsequently created a " crying wolf" narrative, where scientists were portrayed as political activists who were following an environmental agenda rather than the science. In 1992, it published an editorial saying: "This is not the disinterested, objective, just-the-facts tone one ordinarily expects from scientists... This is the cry of the apocalyptic, laying the groundwork for a decidedly non-scientific end: public policy... it would be nice if the next time NASA cries 'wolf,' fewer journalists, politicians and citizens heed the warning like sheep."


Second-hand smoke denial

In 1995, ''The Washington Times'' published a column by Fred Singer, who is known for promoting views contrary to mainstream science on a number of issues, where Singer referred to the science on the adverse health impact of second-hand smoke as the "second-hand smoke scare" and accused the Environmental Protection Agency of distorting data when it classified second-hand smoke as harmful. Singer's column also denied the scientific consensus on climate change and on the health risks of exposure to environmental
radiation In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or a material medium. This includes: * ''electromagnetic radiation'' consisting of photons, such as radio waves, microwaves, infr ...
. In 1995, ''The Washington Times'' published an editorial titled "How not to spend science dollars" condemning a grant to the National Cancer Institute to study how political contributions from tobacco companies shape policy-making and the voting behavior of politicians.


Controversial reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic

In January 2020, ''The Washington Times'' published two articles about the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
that suggested that the virus was created by the government of the People's Republic of China as a
biological weapon Biological agents, also known as biological weapons or bioweapons, are pathogens used as weapons. In addition to these living or replicating pathogens, toxins and Toxin#Biotoxins, biotoxins are also included among the bio-agents. More than 1,2 ...
. One article quoted a former Israeli
intelligence officer An intelligence officer is a member of the intelligence field employed by an organization to collect, compile or analyze information (known as intelligence) which is of use to that organization. The word of ''officer'' is a working title, not a r ...
as a source. The two articles were shared on hundreds of
social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...
sites, potentially reaching an audience of millions.


Allegations of racism

Under Pruden's editorship (1992–2008), ''The Washington Times'' regularly printed excerpts from racist hard-right publications including VDARE and '' American Renaissance'', and from Bill White, leader of the American National Socialist Workers' Party, in its Culture Briefs section. In 2013, ''
Columbia Journalism Review The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' (''CJR'') is a biannual magazine for professional journalists that has been published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. Its original purpose was "to assess the performance ...
'' reported that under Pruden's editorship ''The Washington Times'' was: "a forum for the racialist hard right, including white nationalists, neo-Confederates, and anti-immigrant scare mongers." Between 1998 and 2004, the ''Times'' covered every biennial ''American Renaissance'' conference, hosted by the white supremacist New Century Foundation. According to the ''Columbia Journalism Review'', "the paper's coverage of these events—which are hotbeds for holocaust deniers,
neo-Nazi Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...
s, and eugenicists—was stunningly one sided", and favorably depicted the conference and attendees. In 2009, journalist David Neiwert wrote that it championed, "various white-nationalist causes emanating from the neo-Confederate movement (with which, until a recent housecleaning, two senior editors had long associations.)" A page in ''The Washington Times'' Sunday edition was devoted to the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, on which the Confederacy was several times described with admiration. In 1993, Pruden gave an interview to the neo-Confederate magazine '' Southern Partisan'', which has been called "arguably the most important neo-Confederate periodical" by the
Southern Poverty Law Center The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white ...
, where he said: "Every year I make sure that we have a story in the paper about any observance of Robert E. Lee's birthday." Pruden said, "And the fact that it falls around Martin Luther King's birthday," to which a ''Southern Partisan'' interviewer interjected, "Makes it all the better," with Pruden finishing, "I make sure we have a story. Oh, yes."


Sam Francis controversy

''The Washington Times'' employed Sam Francis, a white nationalist, as a columnist and editor, beginning in 1991 after he was chosen by Pat Buchanan to take over his column. In 1995, Francis resigned or was forced out after Dinesh D'Souza reported on racist comments that Francis made at a conference hosted by '' American Renaissance'' the previous year. At the conference, Francis called on whites to: "reassert our identity and our solidarity, and we must do so in explicitly racial terms through the articulation of a racial consciousness as whites... The civilization that we as whites created in Europe and America could not have developed apart from the genetic endowments of the creating people." Francis was an aide to Republican senator John East of
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
before joining the editorial staff of ''The Washington Times'' in 1986. Five years later, he became a columnist for the newspaper, and his column became syndicated. In addition to his journalistic career, Francis was an adjunct scholar at the
Ludwig von Mises Institute The Ludwig von Mises Institute for Austrian Economics, or Mises Institute, is a nonprofit think tank headquartered in Auburn, Alabama, that is a center for Austrian economics, right-wing libertarian thought and the paleolibertarian and anarcho ...
of Auburn, Alabama. In June 1995, editor-in-chief Wesley Pruden "had cut back on Francis' column" after ''The Washington Times'' ran his essay criticizing the
Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...
for its approval of a resolution which apologized for
slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
. In the piece, Francis asserted that "The contrition of the Southern Baptists for slavery and racism is a bit more than a politically fashionable gesture intended to massage race relations" and that "Neither slavery' nor racism' as an institution is a sin." In September 1995, Pruden dismissed Francis from ''The Washington Times'' after conservative journalist Dinesh D'Souza, in a column in ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', described Francis's appearance at the 1994 ''American Renaissance'' conference:
A lively controversialist, Francis began with some largely valid complaints about how the Southern heritage is demonized in mainstream culture. He went on, however, to attack the liberal principles of humanism and universalism for facilitating "the war against the white race". At one point he described country music megastar
Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...
as "repulsive" because "he has that stupid universalist song ''( We Shall Be Free)'', in which we all intermarry."
After D'Souza's column was published, Pruden "decided he did not want the ''Times'' associated with such views after looking into other Francis writings, in which he advocated the possible deportation of legal immigrants and forced birth control for welfare mothers." When Francis died in 2005, ''The Washington Times'' wrote a "glowing"
obituary An obituary (wikt:obit#Etymology 2, obit for short) is an Article (publishing), article about a recently death, deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as Article (publishing), news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on p ...
that omitted his racist beliefs and his firing from the paper, and described him as a "scholarly, challenging and sometimes pungent writer"; in response, editor David Mastio of the conservative ''
Washington Examiner The ''Washington Examiner'' is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative news magazine based in Washington, D.C., consisting of a website and a weekly printed magazine. It is owned by Philip Anschutz through MediaDC, a subsidiar ...
'' wrote in an obituary: "Sam Francis was merely a racist and doesn't deserve to be remembered as anything less." Mastio added that Francis: "led a double life by day he served up conservative, red meat that was strong but never quite out of bounds by mainstream standards; by night, unbeknownst to the ''Times'' or his syndicate, he pushed white supremacist ideas."


Southern Poverty Law Center report

The
Southern Poverty Law Center The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white ...
(SPLC) noted that ''The Washington Times'' had, by 2005, published at least 35 articles by Marian Kester Coombs, who was married to managing editor Francis Coombs. She had a record of racially incendiary rhetoric and had written for the white nationalist magazine '' The Occidental Quarterly'', which has been described as a "stalwart" of the
alt-right The alt-right (abbreviated from alternative right) is a Far-right politics, far-right, White nationalism, white nationalist movement. A largely Internet activism, online phenomenon, the alt-right originated in the United States during the late ...
movement in the United States and as a "far-right, racially obsessed US magazine". The SPLC highlighted columns written by Marian Kester Coombs in ''The Washington Times'', in which she asserted that the whole of human history was "the struggle of ... races"; that non-white immigration is the "importing fpoverty and revolution" that will end in "the eventual loss of sovereign American territory"; and that Muslims in England "are turning life in this once pleasant land into a misery for its native inhabitants."


Coverage of Barack Obama

In 2007 ''The Washington Times'' companion news magazine '' Insight on the News'', also called just ''Insight'', published a story which claimed that someone on the campaign staff of American presidential candidate Senator
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
had leaked a report to one of ''Insight's'' reporters which said that Obama had "spent at least four years in a so-called madrassa, or Muslim seminary, in Indonesia". ''Insight's'' editor, Jeff Kuhner, also claimed that the source said that the Clinton campaign was "preparing an accusation that her rival Senator Barack Obama had covered up a brief period he had spent in an Islamic religious school in Indonesia when he was six." Clinton denied the allegations. When interviewed by the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', Kuhner refused to name the person said to be the reporter's source to the ''New York Times''. ''Insight's'' story was reported on first by conservative
talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, Interview (jo ...
and ''
Fox News Channel The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American multinational conservative news and political commentary television channel and website based in New York City, U.S. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is ow ...
'', and then by ''The New York Times'' and other major newspapers. CNN reporter John Vause visited State Elementary School Menteng 01, a secular public school which Obama had attended for one year after attending a
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
school for three, and found that each student received two hours of religious instruction per week in his or her own faith. He was told by Hardi Priyono, deputy headmaster of the school, "This is a public school. We don't focus on religion. In our daily lives, we try to respect religion, but we don't give preferential treatment." Students at Besuki wore Western clothing, and the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' described the school as "so progressive that teachers wore miniskirts and all students were encouraged to celebrate
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
". Interviews by Nedra Pickler of the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
found that students of all faiths have been welcome there since before Obama's attendance. Akmad Solichin, the vice principal of the school, told Pickler: "The allegations are completely baseless. Yes, most of our students are Muslim, but there are Christians as well. Everyone's welcome here ... it's a public school." In 2008, ''The Washington Times'' published a column by Frank Gaffney that promoted the false conspiracy theories which asserted that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya and was courting the "
jihadist Jihadism is a neologism for modern, armed militant Political aspects of Islam, Islamic movements that seek to Islamic state, establish states based on Islamic principles. In a narrower sense, it refers to the belief that armed confrontation ...
vote". Gaffney also published pieces in 2009 and 2010 promoting the false assertion that Obama is a Muslim.* * * * * In a 2009 column entitled Inner Muslim' at work in Cairo", Pruden wrote that President Obama was the: "first president without an instinctive appreciation of the culture, history, tradition, common law and literature whence America sprang. The genetic imprint writ large in his 43 predecessors is missing from the Obama DNA." In another 2009 column, Pruden wrote that Obama had "no natural instinct or blood impulse" for what America was about because he was "sired by a
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
n father" and "born to a mother attracted to men of the
Third World The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Southern Cone, NATO, Western European countries and oth ...
." Pruden's columns stirred controversy, leading ''The Washington Times'' to assign David Mastio, its deputy editor, to edit his work. In 2016, ''The Washington Times'' claimed that $3.6 million in federal funds were spent on a 2013 golf outing for President Obama and pro-golfer
Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins, PGA Tour wins, ranks second in List of men's major championships winning golfers, men's m ...
which was widely reported on by the American news media in 2013. '' Snopes'' rated the article "mostly false", because the estimated cost included both official presidential travel and a brief vacation in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
. The online article contained hyperlinks to other, unrelated, stories from ''The Washington Times''. These links' appearance were not readily distinguishable from the citation links sometimes used to support or substantiate reporting. Not included in ''The Washington Times'' the article were any links to the
Government Accountability Office The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan government agency within the legislative branch that provides auditing, evaluative, and investigative services for the United States Congress. It is the s ...
(GAO) report of expenditure for the 2013 trip, which included a detailed overview of President Obama's activities of February 15 to 18, 2013.


Islamophobia and anti-Muslim

Gaffney, known for his "long history of pushing extreme anti-Muslim views", wrote weekly columns for ''The Washington Times'' from the late 1990s to 2016. According to
John Esposito John Louis Esposito (born May 19, 1940) is an American academic, professor of Middle Eastern studies, Middle Eastern and religious studies, and scholar of Islamic studies, who serves as Professor of Religion, International Affairs, and Islamic S ...
, a Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies at
Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
, Gaffney's "editorial track record in the ''Washington Times'' is long on accusation and short on supportive evidence." In columns for the ''Times'', Gaffney helped to popularize conspiracy theories that Islamic terrorists were infiltrating the Bush administration, the conservative movement and the Obama administration. In 2015, the ''Times'' published a column describing refugees fleeing the Syrian Civil War as an "Islamic
Trojan Horse In Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse () was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer, Homer's ''Iliad'', with the poem ending ...
" conducting a "'jihad' by another name". The Muslim advocacy group Council on American–Islamic Relations listed ''The Washington Times'' among media outlets it said "regularly demonstrates or supports Islamophobic themes." In 1998, the Egyptian newspaper '' Al-Ahram'' wrote that ''The Washington Times'' its editorial policy was "rabidly anti-
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
, anti-Muslim and pro-Israel."


Staff


Editors-in-chief

* James R. Whelan (1982–1984) * Smith Hempstone (1984–1986) * Arnaud de Borchgrave (1986–1992) * Wesley Pruden (1992–2008) * John F. Solomon (2008–2009) (2013–2015) * Sam Dealey (2010) *Ed Kelley (2011–2012) *David S. Jackson (2012–2013) *Christopher Dolan (present as of 2024)


Managing editors

* Josette Shiner (1992–1997) *Francis Coombs (?–2008) *Cathy Gaynor (present as of 2024)


Opinion editors

*Ann Crutcher (1984–1985) *William P. Cheshire (1985–1987) * Tony Snow (1987–1990) * Tod Lindberg (1991–1998) * Tony Blankley (2002–2007) * Richard Miniter (2009) *Brett Decker (2009–2013) * Wesley Pruden (2013) * David Keene (2014–2016) * Charles Hurt (2016–present)


Current commentary contributors

*Jennifer Harper ("Inside the Beltway" columnist) * Charles Hurt (opinion editor and columnist) * Mark Kellner (faith and family reporter) * Robert H. Knight (opinion columnist) * Stephen Moore (opinion columnist) * Everett Piper (opinion columnist) * Cal Thomas (opinion columnist)


Former contributors

*George Archibald (congressional, political, United Nations, and education reporter) * Bruce Bartlett (opinion columnist) * David Brooks (editorial writer, film reviewer) * Amanda Carpenter (columnist) *
Ben Carson Ben Solomon Carson Sr. (born September 18, 1951) is an American retired neurosurgery, neurosurgeon, academic, author, and government official who served as the 17th United States secretary of housing and urban development from 2017 to 2021. A pio ...
(opinion columnist) * Monica Crowley (online opinion editor and columnist) * Dave Fay (editor and journalists, deceased) * Bruce Fein (opinion columnist) * Sam Francis (editor and columnist, deceased) * Frank Gaffney (columnist) * Madison Gesiotto Gilbert (opinion columnist) * Michael Hayden (opinion columnist) *
Nat Hentoff Nathan Irving Hentoff (June 10, 1925 – January 7, 2017) was an American historian, novelist, jazz and country music critic, and syndicated columnist for United Media. Hentoff was a columnist for ''The Village Voice'' from 1958 to 2009. F ...
(opinion columnist) *Shirley A. Husar (opinion columnist) * Ernest Istook (opinion columnist) * Drew Johnson (columnist) * Tom Knott (sports columnist) * Larry Kudlow (economics columnist) * Jeff Kuhner (opinion columnist) *Willie Lawson (opinion columnist) * Tod Lindberg (opinion columnist) * Herbert London (opinion columnist) (deceased) * Michelle Malkin (columnist) * John McCaslin ("Inside the Beltway" columnist) * Oliver North (opinion columnist) *
Ted Nugent Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He goes by several nicknames, including Uncle Ted, the Nuge, and Motor City Madman. Nugent initially gained fame as the le ...
(opinion columnist) *
Rand Paul Randal Howard Paul (born January 7, 1963) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States senator from Kentucky since 2011. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
(opinion columnist) * Jeremiah O'Leary * John Podhoretz (columnist) * Wesley Pruden (editor emeritus and opinion columnist) *Fred Reed (journalist) * Rob Redding (journalist and talk host) * James S. Robbins (opinion columnist) * Bill Sammon (White House correspondent) * Mercedes Schlapp (opinion columnist) *
Thomas Sowell Thomas Sowell ( ; born June 30, 1930) is an American economist, economic historian, and social and political commentator. He is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. With widely published commentary and books—and as a guest on T ...
(columnist) * Mark Steyn (opinion columnist) * Janine Turner (opinion columnist) * Harlan K. Ullman (opinion columnist) * Diana West (opinion columnist)


Others

* Julia Duin: Religion editor * Daniel Wattenberg: Arts and Entertainment editor


See also

* Media in Washington, D.C., List of newspapers in Washington, D.C. * News World Communications * The Unification Church and politics * Unification Church of the United States * ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' (1877–present) * '' The Washington Star'' (1852–1981) * '' Washington Times-Herald'', a former Washington, D.C. daily newspaper founded by
William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American newspaper publisher and politician who developed the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His extravagant methods of yellow jou ...
as ''The Evening Times'' *
Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
* Insight on the News


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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Washington Times, The 1982 establishments in Washington, D.C. Climate change denial Conservative media in the United States National newspapers published in the United States Newspapers established in 1982 Newspapers published in Washington, D.C. Podcasting companies Unification Church affiliated organizations