Additional Coverage:
- New York Times probes Nicholas Kristof columns after report he failed to disclose campaign donor connections (foxnews.com)
The New York Times is currently reviewing several columns by its liberal columnist Nicholas Kristof amid concerns that he did not disclose prior political donations from some of the individuals he wrote about. This review follows reports that Kristof failed to inform readers of these financial connections, raising questions about transparency and journalistic ethics.
Kristof, who briefly left the Times in 2021 to pursue a Democratic gubernatorial bid in Oregon, returned to the paper in 2022 after being deemed ineligible to run due to the state’s residency requirements. At that time, the Times emphasized that Kristof would either avoid writing about donors or clearly disclose any relevant relationships moving forward.
Recent reporting by Semafor highlighted that Kristof wrote favorably about Bill Gates-who, along with his former wife, reportedly donated around $100,000 to Kristof’s campaign-without acknowledging these contributions. Additionally, Semafor noted that Kristof quoted other campaign donors, including McKinsey Global Managing Partner Bob Sternfels and the late Harvard professor Joseph Nye, without revealing their prior financial support. The Times has confirmed it is reviewing these articles to determine if further clarifications are warranted.
The newspaper’s spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “Previous political donations made by some people Nick Kristof mentioned in his columns should have been made more clear to readers. Editors from Times Opinion are reviewing these articles to determine further clarifications for readers.”
Kristof has also been a vocal figure in reporting on Jeffrey Epstein and related controversies. He has publicly questioned former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak about ties to Epstein and has criticized former President Donald Trump for alleged associations.
Despite Gates’ documented interactions with Epstein, including visits to Epstein’s New York residence between 2011 and 2014, Kristof has not addressed Gates’ connection in his reporting. Gates has denied witnessing any criminal behavior by Epstein and said he was never interested in a relationship with him.
This is not the first time Kristof’s work has sparked controversy at the Times. In a recent opinion piece, he cited allegations from a Gaza journalist claiming abuse involving police dogs, which drew significant backlash from readers and the Israeli government.
Israel has threatened legal action over the story, and critics have pointed out that some sources in the article had ties to anti-Israel activism. Protesters gathered in New York City to condemn the Times for publishing what they called “anti-Zionist libels.”
The Times defended the piece, asserting it was supported by independent research and rejected calls for retraction.
As the Times continues its internal review, the situation underscores ongoing challenges around transparency and editorial standards in high-profile journalism.