AP
The New York Post's Fred Dicker and Frank Rosario first reported Trump's firing of political consultant Sam Nunberg, who had pushed him to cooperate with Coppins on the story. Nunberg offered to resign, according to the Post, but Trump said he wouldn't accept his resignation.
"Sam said to me, 'This guy is a friend of mine. It's going to be a great story. I have confidence it will be fair.' So I actually did the interview as a courtesy to Sam," Trump told the Post.
"But I said to Sam, 'If this guy writes a fair story, that's fine. But if he writes a wise-guy story, you'll be fired.' And I said to Sam, 'OK?'
"And Sam said, 'OK.' ''
The story attempts to get an answer to why Trump, who now says he is considering a run for governor in New York, frequently talks up possible potential political runs - only to inevitably remove his name from consideration. Coppins flew on Trump's private jet and interviewed him at the Mar-a-Lago, his estate in Palm Beach, Fla.
Trump has been on a bizarre Twitter tear since the story - titled "36 Hours On The Fake Campaign Trail With Donald Trump" - was released late Thursday evening.
A dishonest slob of a reporter, who doesn't understand my sarcasm when talking about him or his wife, wrote a foolish & boring Trump "hit"
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2014
.@realDonaldTrump dude, still?
- McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) February 16, 2014
Last week, before Trump spoke at the New York County Republican Committee's annual Lincoln Day Dinner, he chatted with a small group of reporters. Nunberg got Trump's attention, pointed to Coppins, and said, "Remember him?"
"Is it going to be good or bad?" Trump asked of the story.
"I think you'll like it," Coppins said.