The executive editor of the New York Times said in an interview Sunday that President Trump’s attempts to smear the publication have instead encouraged more people to read it.

“Trump is the best thing to happen to the Times’ subscription strategy,” Dean Baquet said in an interview with CNN’s "Reliable Sources." “Every time he tweets it drives subscriptions wildly.”

Baquet said Trump has revitalized reporters who may have been pessimistic about the future of the industry.

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"There was a long time when the press wondered about its place in society, the last several years as newspaper subscriptions dwindled, as particularly local newspapers worried about their future," he said. "What’s happened in the last couple of months I have to say has been tremendous for news organizations."

"Our mission is clearer than it's ever been — we’re covering a dramatic revolution in government and how the country is governed, and it feels like all of the things that sort of bothered us and made us lose a little bit of confidence in the last few months have sort of gone away."

Baquet's remarks follow the president's latest tweet slamming the publication on Sunday.

In an early morning tweet, Trump knocked the Times's new ad campaign set to air during the Academy Awards on Sunday night.

“For first time the failing @nytimes will take an ad (a bad one) to help save its failing reputation,” the president tweeted.