Trump demands ABC, Bob Iger apologize to him for bad reporting after the network canceled 'Roseanne' for her racist tweet

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Trump demands ABC, Bob Iger apologize to him for bad reporting after the network canceled 'Roseanne' for her racist tweet

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 16: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) talk to reporters in the Rose Garden following a lunch meeting at the White House October 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. Trump and McConnell tried to erase reporting that they were not on the same page with the GOP legislative agenda and priorities. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

President Donald Trump wants an apology from Disney CEO Bob Iger.

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  • President Donald Trump again asked Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, which owns ABC, to apologize to him for errors the news network's reporting on his presidency.
  • Trump has twice asked ABC to apologize after the network apologized to a former Obama adviser after Roseanne Barr, the star of its popular "Roseanne" show posted a racist tweet about her.
  • ABC famously made an erroneous report about Trump that briefly tanked the Dow, but it suspended the reporter who did it.

President Donald Trump again asked Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, which owns ABC, to apologize to him for errors the news network's reporting on his presidency after it had canceled a show and apologized to viewers.

A racist tweet by Roseanne Barr, star of ABC's popular show "Roseanne," about Valerie Jarrett, a former top adviser to President Barack Obama, led ABC to cancel Barr's show on Tuesday.

Trump did not directly comment on the controversy or on ABC's decision, instead saying ABC and Disney CEO Bob Iger have never apologized for what the president said were "HORRIBLE statements" made about him on the network.

"Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that 'ABC does not tolerate comments like those' made by Roseanne Barr. Gee, he never called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn't get the call?" Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

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On Thursday, he doubled down on his request for an apology.

"Iger, where is my call of apology?" Trump tweeted. "You and ABC have offended millions of people, and they demand a response. How is Brian Ross doing? He tanked the market with an ABC lie, yet no apology. Double Standard!"

Ross, a former chief investigative reporter at ABC was suspended by the network in December 2017 after erroneously reporting, based on a single, unnamed source, that Trump had directed former Gen. Michael Flynn to make contact with Russia during his campaign.

Ross later admitted Trump had directed his former national security adviser Flynn to make contact after he won the election, a major adjustment to the story that seemed to suggest a smoking gun connection between Trump's campaign and Russia.

One and a half years later, the Russia controversy still dogs Trump and he still regularly bashes the media for its coverage of his presidency and its potential ties to the Kremlin.

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Ross' report sent the Dow tanking 350 points, though it recovered and closed that day only 40 points down.

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