A heated exchange between Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and The Daily Beast erupted over the media outlet's controversial interpretation of her interaction with President Donald Trump.
According to Fox News, Luna strongly criticized The Daily Beast for publishing what she described as a "nasty" headline that misrepresented a conversation between her and Trump during a flight when she was experiencing pregnancy complications.
The controversy stems from an upcoming book by Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt titled "Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power." In a preview published by Axios, the author recounted an incident from 2023 where Trump offered his bed on his private jet to Luna, who was feeling unwell due to her pregnancy. The exchange included Trump making a lighthearted comment about not telling his wife, Melania, about the arrangement.
The Daily Beast's coverage of the incident drew criticism for its suggestive headline "'Don't Tell Melania': Trump Once Offered Rising MAGA Star His Bed" and subsequent social media posts implying impropriety in the exchange.
The publication's portrayal of the incident prompted Luna to break her usual silence on negative press coverage. She emphasized that the interaction occurred in front of her husband and was purely motivated by concern for her health.
Community Notes on X (formerly Twitter) later added context to The Daily Beast's post, highlighting Luna's public response and noting she was not contacted for comment before publication.
Luna took to social media to provide context about the situation, explaining she was experiencing symptoms of pre-eclampsia at the time, though not yet diagnosed. She shared Trump's immediate response to her condition upon boarding the plane.
Luna stated on X:
I seldom respond to nasty headlines because I don't like giving trash credibility, however, being that there is allegedly a book coming out with me named and attacking @POTUS, his marriage, our first lady, and frankly implying something distasteful about me, I am responding.
The Florida congresswoman detailed how Trump ensured medical staff were available on the flight, given her advanced pregnancy. She was later induced due to confirmed pre-eclampsia.
The upcoming book's author, Alex Isenstadt, has faced scrutiny for allegedly not seeking Luna's comment before including the incident in his work. This oversight has raised questions about the book's credibility and intentions.
White House communications director Steven Cheung issued a statement dismissing such Trump-focused books as attempts to capitalize on the president's name. He criticized journalists for "peddling lies" to boost book sales.
Axios has defended its reporting of the incident, stating they accurately portrayed and contextualized Trump's comments during the interaction with Luna, which she confirmed occurred.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's confrontation with The Daily Beast highlights the ongoing tension between media coverage and political figures' personal experiences. The incident began with Trump offering his private jet's bed to Luna, who was experiencing pregnancy-related health issues in 2023. The gesture, meant as a compassionate response to a medical concern, became the subject of controversial media coverage when The Daily Beast published its provocative headline and social media posts, prompting Luna to defend herself and Trump while criticizing the media outlet's portrayal of the event.
