President Donald Trump joined widespread ridicule of Bret Stephens after the New York Times columnist overreacted to a person on Twitter calling him a “bedbug.” 

Trump described Stephens as “a Conservative who does anything that his bosses at the paper tell him to do” and a “Never Trumper.” 

“He is now quitting Twitter after being called a ‘bedbug,'” Trump continued. “ Tough guy!” 

David Karpf, a professor at George Washington University, joked on Twitter that Stephens was a “bedbug” after news broke that bedbugs had invested the New York Times office building. 

Stephens replied to Karpf’s mockery on Twitter with a strongly worded email which was cc’d to his boss. 

“I would welcome the opportunity for you to come to my home, meet my wife and kids, talk to us for for a few minutes, and then call me a “bedbug” to my face,” he wrote, accusing the professor of setting a “new standard” set by “supposedly decent people.” 

George Washington University replied to Stephens in a public statement on Twitter. 

Trump also taunted Stephens on Tuesday night. 

“Bret Stephens is loaded up with them!”  he wrote, referring to “bedbugs. “ Been calling me wrong for years, along with the few remaining Never Trumpers – All Losers!” 

“The infestation of bedbugs at The New York Times office” @OANN was perhaps brought in by lightweight journalist Bret Stephens, a Conservative who does anything that his bosses at the paper tell him to do!  He is now quitting Twitter after being called a “bedbug.”  Tough guy! —  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2019