The Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal mocked Donald Trump’s passive “sidewalk gawker” reaction to Vladimir Putin’s drones over Poland.
While Polish President Karol Nawrocki revealed on X that he had spoken with Trump about Tuesday’s incursion, the president’s only public reaction has been a single post on Truth Social, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
The WSJ opinion escalates a clash between the White House and the news giant.
The WSJ leader—headlined “Putin Taunts Trump and NATO,” and written by the paper’s editorial board—noted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had described the foray as “absolutely reckless.” It lashed Trump, saying his post made him sound more like “a sidewalk gawker” than a president.
The incursion saw an estimated 19 Russian drones violating the country’s airspace.
Writing that “weakness invites aggression,” the op-ed suggested that Moscow “thinks he can get away with this provocation” because of Trump’s ongoing lax response to the war—and urged more sanctions, more weapons for Ukraine, and fewer limits on their use.
It is the latest example of Murdoch using his papers—and in particular the WSJ under editor-in-chief Emma Tucker—to criticize his former friend.
In the past few months, WSJ has become one of the most persistent critics of Trump in the media mogul’s empire, a streak that has enraged the White House and MAGA allies.
Trump has also railed at Murdoch over the paper’s coverage and Tucker’s stewardship.
The editorial arrives amid open warfare over its exclusive revelation that Trump in 2003 allegedly sent a suggestive birthday note to late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump, who denied having sent any such letter, responded by filing a $10 billion lawsuit against the paper.
Congressional Democrats then released the supposed letter on Monday, which the White House again described as “fake.”
That legal brawl has spilled into other areas—this time on foreign policy.
After Trump axed the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, and installed Heritage economist E.J. Antoni, the paper’s board warned the pick would “have to take off his MAGA hat” to earn the public’s trust. The appointment appeared nakedly political and counterproductive to credible stats.
When Trump tried to strong-arm the Fed—posting a termination letter to Governor Lisa Cook—The Journal mocked his “afflatus.” It slammed the urge to personally run monetary policy, concluding he’s “all about short-term tactics and personal political advantage.”
And when Amazon reportedly explored showing shoppers the tariff share on prices, WSJ called it a “brilliant idea” and accused Trump of bullying Jeff Bezos into scrapping it—reminding readers “tariffs are taxes” and even hinting they should be repealed.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and The Wall Street Journal for comment.
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