The Trump-supporting former editor of the New York Post and close associate of Rupert Murdoch ordered that the newspaper’s coverage of E. Jean Carroll’s sexual assault allegation against President Trump be removed from the website, CNN Business was first to report.
A person inside the Post confirmed to TPM that the article was removed from the website on Friday afternoon.
According to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to CNN Business, Col Allan, editor-in-chief-turned-adviser to the tabloid, issued the demand. The story, which was written by reporter Joe Tacopino, was no longer available on the website by Friday afternoon and the Associated Press version of the allegations was also taken down, according to CNN Business.
Allan has made his affinity for Trump clear. He left as top editor of the tabloid because his support of “the Donald” made it difficult to run the newsroom. For years, Allan worked closely with Murdoch, the Trump-supporting owner of News Corporation, which owns the Post, as well as Fox News and the Wall Street Journal.
People at the Post told CNN Business that it’s understood that Allan was brought back as an adviser to make the paper more pro-Trump. A person inside the Post told TPM that Allan’s return has had a negative impact on office morale.
“Since Col and Michelle (Gotthelf) came on, people in leadership on the digital team have been leaving left and right. Our digital managing editor and deputy online editor left within months of each other,” the person said.
In an excerpt of her book, published by New York Magazine last week, Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s and allegedly penetrating her without her consent while she was in the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman.
Trump has denied her allegations and even argued that the writer was “not my type.”
A New York Post spokesperson did not immediately return TPM’s request for comment.