The New York Times reporter who called Melania Trump a “hooker” at a private event on Sunday has apologized, saying he wants to “take ownership of a mistake” he made.
Jacob Bernstein, the son of Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein and the late writer-director Nora Ephron, came forward on Tuesday to identify himself as the journalist who repeated what he called “unfounded rumors” about the first lady in a conversation with model-actress Emily Ratajkowski.
“Speaking at a party in what I thought was a personal conversation, I nevertheless made a stupid remark about the first lady,” he wrote in a series of tweets. “My editors have made it clear my behavior was not in keeping with the standards of the Times, and I agree.”
Bernstein, a reporter on the paper’s Style section who co-directed the 2016 HBO documentary “Everything is Copy,” about his mother, added, “My mistake, referring to unfounded rumors, shouldn’t reflect on anyone else and I apologize profusely.”
Ratajkowski took to Twitter on Monday to tear into an — at the time — unnamed New York Times reporter for “slut-shaming” POTUS’ wife at a private event in New York City on Sunday.
“Sat next to a journalist from the NYT last night who told me ‘Melania is a hooker.’ Whatever your politics it’s crucial to call this out for what it is: slut shaming. I don’t care about her nudes or sexual history and no one should,” Ratajkowski wrote.
She went on to add, “Gender specific attacks are disgusting sexist bullsh-.” Although she declined to identify the journalist in question, she did identify the person as male in a later tweet.
On Monday, the publication confirmed to TheWrap that the previously unidentified reporter made a “completely inappropriate” remark about Trump, and that the reporter has been spoken to by editors for the newspaper.
“At a party last night, a Times reporter who does not cover Washington or politics, referred to an unfounded rumor regarding Melania Trump. The comment was not intended to be public, but it was nonetheless completely inappropriate and should not have occurred,” the Times spokesman said. “Editors have talked to the reporter in question about the lapse.”
On Tuesday, the First Lady thanked Ratajkowski on Twitter.
“Applause to all women around the world who speak up, stand up and support other women! @emrata #PowerOfEveryWoman #PowerOfTheFirstLady,” Trump wrote.
This is a four part tweet. 1. I want to take ownership of a mistake I made.
— Jacob Bernstein (@BernsteinJacob) February 14, 2017
2. Speaking at a party in what I thought was a personal conversation, I nevertheless made a stupid remark about the first lady.
— Jacob Bernstein (@BernsteinJacob) February 14, 2017
3. My editors have made it clear my behavior was not in keeping with the standards of the Times, and I agree.
— Jacob Bernstein (@BernsteinJacob) February 14, 2017
4. My mistake, referring to unfounded rumors, shouldn’t reflect on anyone else and I apologize profusely.
— Jacob Bernstein (@BernsteinJacob) February 14, 2017