The New York Times subscription department loves Donald Trump

Donald Trump might loath the New York Times, often pouring scorn on the news brand by accusing them of peddling “fake news” or describing their apparently precarious business model as “failing” but are his assaults via social media actually helping the newspaper?

According to news reports, every time Donald Trump tweets something negative about the New York Times its subscription sales go through the roof.

Dean Baquet, New York Times Executive Editor, told journalists: “Trump is the best thing to happen to the Times’ subscription strategy. Every time he tweets it drives subscriptions wildly.”

Baquet was particularly keen to highlight the fact that his newspaper was not failing (despite more than 50 tweets from the president suggesting otherwise) and said: “Our digital subscriptions are going through the roof. Even print subscriptions are up. We’re a profitable company. We’re a big, vibrant, important newsroom.”

Highlighting Trumps attacks on the press, Baquet said: “I think it’s troublesome, I think it’s dangerous.”

Baquet continued: “I think what’s happened in the last couple months, I have to say, has been tremendous for news organisations. We’re covering a dramatic revolution in government and how the country is governed.”

However, the constant abuse from the Whitehouse has certainly cemented the idea that publications like the New York Times are there to hold the president to account with Baquet stating the newspaper’s mission was “clearer than ever.”

Trump’s latest attack on the New York Times focused on the news organisation’s recent TV ad which run during the Oscars. The advert concluded with the following words: “The truth is hard to find. The truth is hard to know. The truth is more important now than ever.”

Trump incorrectly told his 25 million followers on Twitter that the ad was a first for the New York Times and then suggested that the company should “try reporting accurately.”