The publisher of the New York Times on Sunday revealed he recently warned Donald Trump that his angry verbal attacks on the American media – including describing them as the “enemy of the people” – could provoke violence.
The newspaper said the meeting was on July 20 but was intended to be off the record.
However, Mr Trump yesterday revealed he met AG Sulzberger in a morning tweet and claimed they discussed the rise of fake news.
"Had a very good and interesting meeting at the White House with AG Sulzberger, Publisher of the New York Times," he wrote. "Spent much time talking about the vast amounts of Fake News being put out by the media & how that Fake News has morphed into phrase, ‘Enemy of the People.’ Sad!"
His tweet brought a rapid response from the publisher, who said he told the president his rhetoric was being used by authoritarian regimes to justify attacks on journalists.
"I warned that it was putting lives at risk, that it was undermining the democratic ideals of our nation, and that it was eroding one of our country’s greatest exports: a commitment to free speech and a free press," said Mr Sulzberger.
The newspaper has been a frequent target of the president, who often described it as the “failing New York Times”. Yet he appears to have a love-hate relationship with his home-town newspaper, telephoning its journalists to offer occasional scoops.
The president has proven sensitive to negative coverage. He rails frequently against “fake news”, a term with a flexible definition and often used for stories he does not consider favourable.
Mr Sulzberger said he accepted the White House’s request for a meeting so he could discuss mr Trump’s "deeply troubling anti-press rhetoric."
He said he did not ask the president to stop criticising coverage the president believed was unfair.