Newspaper on the brink of shutting down sees subscriptions boost after Trump praise

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A previously influential newspaper managed to recover after successfully gaining favor with President Donald Trump.

The New York Sun, which was almost forced to close permanently several years ago, is now experiencing an increase in subscribers and regaining significance due to the attention it has received from Trump.

Once a prominent newspaper and rival to the New York Times, this publication fell into oblivion before being acquired by Dovid Efune four years back.

Efune shifted the magazine's editorial direction to the right, enabling it to capitalize on the surge of populist movements in the U.S. that are boosting right-wing media ratings .

Trump has praised the outlet's journalism, reposted its articles on his Truth social platform and been spotted holding the print edition in the White House.

'We are well aware that the president has shown considerable interest in the Sun,' said Efune. told the Financial Times .

"He frequently shares our articles on Truth Social. He also sends handwritten messages to our writers... and I definitely believe that there is an increasing belief, which holds considerable merit, that we are seen as a newspaper the White House both reads and respects," he stated to the magazine.

As reported by Similarweb, The New York Sun now averages about 1 million online pageviews per month with roughly 613,000 distinct visitors.

The company has become profitable thanks to tens of thousands of paying subscribers.

Efune, aged 39, mentioned that his strategy of prioritizing 'values over politics and individuals over political parties,' along with reducing critiques of Trump, could enhance the newspaper's appeal.

To clarify, we strongly uphold our independence and often find ourselves taking stances opposed to those of the White House on various matters... our editors adopt editorial viewpoints based on principles," Efune clarified.

This occurs as the incoming administration has taken down specific publications perceived as critical of Trump from the White House pool of reporters.

The British publishing company has worked towards expanding the New York Sun's coverage from primarily focusing on local news to also encompassing stories from Washington, along with Europe and Israel.

Efune strongly advocates for Israel and started his professional journey at The Algemeiner Journal, a conservative Jewish publication.

He gained recognition after joining the competition to acquire Britain’s The Telegraph newspaper, though reports from the Financial Times suggest that this potential transaction has hit a snag.

The New York Sun was founded in 1833 as one of the city's first penny papers credited with bringing news consumption to the working classes.

In 1950, the publication merged with the New York World Telegram, after which the title remained inactive until its revival in 2002.

The release of the publication was taken over by a conservative-leaning broadsheet under new owner Seth Lipsky.

Efune is now trying to rescue the newspaper from the brink of extinction and restore it to its previous prominence.

"The valley of death could be more extensive and profound compared to other businesses, yet having navigated beyond that realm... and being firmly positioned at the forefront as a robust, sustainable, and enduring journalistic entity is tremendously exhilarating," he shared with the Financial Times.