The New York Post delivered a pointed rebuke to President Donald Trump on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin on its front page with the headline “THIS IS A DICTATOR,” marking a significant shift in the traditionally Trump-friendly newspaper’s stance.
The front-page editorial statement, known in tabloid journalism as “the wood,” came after Trump characterized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” in a Truth Social post earlier this week. The New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, accompanied the headline with an opinion piece by columnist Douglas Murray outlining ten critical truths about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Trump’s smearing of the Ukraine regime as scam artists who provoked a war using U.S. taxpayers’ money is a rant beneath the dignity of his office. Almost nothing in it is true.”
Murray’s detailed analysis challenged Trump’s assertions about Zelenskyy’s leadership, noting that recent polls indicate a 57% approval rating among Ukrainians, significantly higher than Trump’s claimed 4%. The article emphasized that Russia “resents American power and the world the U.S. has built” and highlighted that Russia’s primary allies are America’s greatest adversaries.
The Wall Street Journal, another Murdoch-owned publication, joined in the criticism Tuesday night with an editorial titled “The Rapid Rehab of Vladimir Putin.” The piece provided a comprehensive list of destruction and death attributed to Putin’s orders and questioned the implications of a peace agreement negotiated between Putin and Trump without Ukrainian representation at the table.
“He [Trump] didn’t say what kind of peace Mr. Putin has in mind, though if history is a guide it won’t be what most Americans understand by the word,” the Wall Street Journal wrote.
Murray’s article outlined several key points about the ongoing conflict, including that Putin, not Zelenskyy, initiated the war in 2022. The piece emphasized that Russia is fighting for conquest rather than defense and has committed numerous atrocities, including the kidnapping of Ukrainian children. The analysis also stressed that Ukrainians are fighting for their independence and have no desire to be part of Russia, contrary to Putin’s claims about the two nations being a “single whole.”
The article further detailed how Putin has “ruled Russia with an iron KGB fist since coming to power in 1999” and has “ruthlessly quashed independent media, ended free and fair elections, crushed civil society and killed his political opponents.” In contrast, it emphasized Zelenskyy’s democratic election and Ukraine’s vibrant independent media landscape.
British media outlets aligned with this position, with both The Times and The Sun breaking from their traditionally supportive stance of Trump. The Times of London condemned Trump’s “appalling” statements about Zelenskyy and Ukraine following a peace summit in Saudi Arabia. An insider revealed to Britain’s i Paper that these critical responses were authorized at “the very top” of News Corp.
“The Post has flipped on Trump many times. But when Trump took Putin’s side over Ukraine it crossed a red line. It’s personal for Rupert, he believes in the cause,” the insider stated.
The article also addressed the economic implications of American support for Ukraine, noting that U.S. aid has effectively degraded Russia’s military threat while benefiting the American economy. Murray argued that Putin cannot be trusted, citing his history of violating international agreements and deceiving world leaders.
A former News Corp employee suggested that Trump’s primary concern remains Fox News rather than print media. “Trump is only bothered about Fox News, that’s his direct channel to his supporters,” the former staffer explained. “And Fox News makes a lot of money for Murdoch. It’s unlikely to turn against Trump. So they both have a mutual interest whatever else they disagree about.”
The Post’s editorial stance reflects growing tension between Trump and traditional conservative media outlets over his positions on Ukraine and Russia. Murray’s piece suggested Trump could potentially “win a Nobel Peace Prize” if he successfully ends the war, but warned that such recognition would not come through appeasement “that bows down in the face of evil as it denies obvious truths.”
Despite Trump’s apparent indifference to print media criticism, the Post’s front page remains prominently displayed in his office, with his mugshot from a previous edition framed outside the Oval Office, demonstrating the complex relationship between the former president and the publication.
