“I love the White House, one of the most beautiful buildings (homes) I have ever seen,” Trump tweets. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump denies he called the White House a 'dump'

President Donald Trump expressed adoration for the White House late Wednesday as he pushed back against reports that he had called his new residence “a real dump.”

In an article that will appear in Monday’s edition of Sports Illustrated, Golf Magazine reported this week, the president told some members of Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, before a recent round of golf that he frequents the club because “that White House is a real dump.”


The president’s reported comments were amplified by other media outlets that seized on that portion of Golf Magazine’s article. Trump, however, disputed the reporting, as he often does.

“I love the White House, one of the most beautiful buildings (homes) I have ever seen,” Trump tweeted. “But Fake News said I called it a dump - TOTALLY UNTRUE.”

Alan Shipnuck, who reported the 7,424-word Sports Illlustrated story, defended his work in a podcast on Wednesday. Shipnuck said he had an “enlightening” conversation with White House aide Hope Hicks, who demanded a retraction.

“I explained to her: It’s not a lie. The president said this in front of eight or nine members and staffers at Bedminster,” he said, calling it a “moment of candor” for the president. “The week of the U.S. Women’s Open, I heard the same story told by two or three different other sources. This is certainly a moment that has already passed into legend at Trump Bedminster. It might be inconvenient for her boss, and she might wish he didn’t say it, but it’s not a lie.”

The critical tweet is a reversal of sorts for Trump, who has praised Golf Magazine in the past for giving his courses high rankings.

“Wow, @GolfMagazine just rated the renovation of The Blue Monster the best of the year. Even better they stated it may be best of all time!” Trump tweeted on Dec. 8, 2014.

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“Thank you @GolfMagazine for your fantastic review of The Blue Monster at Trump National Doral – ‘BEST U.S. RESORT RENOVATION’ - & ‘ALL TIME,’” he added minutes later.

Less than 10 minutes after that tweet posted, Trump retweeted a user who replied to @realDonaldTrump and @GolfMagazine: “TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT!”