Not sure what the author is bitching about. They’re a one-time series of email messages over 14 days.
They are transactional emails. Maybe the author doesn’t agree with that but they’re welcome to take NYT to court over it.
Is their email provider charging you per email or something?
What is transactional about a daily message for 14 days? Especially when you haven't made a transaction to trigger said message?
They clearly fit within the definition of transactional.
They are part of the transaction and they are not an ongoing marketing mailing list. They end completely after 14 days.
The author described them as "marketing" but did not disclose the content in any way.
And you should have the right to stop them immediately. I don't see how that's controversial.