Overview

• At around 11 p.m. ET on June 27, President Trump used Truth Social to accuse CNN anchor Abby Phillip of being “strictly 3rd rate” and claimed the network’s audience had long abandoned it.
• Minutes after CNN NewsNight ended, Phillip responded on X with “Thank you for watching Mr. President,” highlighting that Trump had tuned in.
• During her show, Phillip cited economist Jason Furman to explain that record stock market highs reflect investor confidence that Trump will back off on tariffs if necessary.
• Phillip characterized the latest tariff delay as a successful negotiation tactic that has helped calm market volatility.
• Observers view the exchange as part of Trump’s broader strategy to leverage social platforms against mainstream media and frame his economic policy narrative.