Trump faces backlash after he reveals ‘Fake News Awards’
Donald Trump, who has routinely peddled conspiracy theories and mistruths from the office of the US presidency, sought to question the accuracy of the media on Wednesday by unveiling the so-called “Fake News Awards”.
Trump used Twitter to announce “the winners”, which ranged from minor errors by journalists on social media to news reports that later invited corrections. The “awards” were revealed on the Republican National Committee’s website, which swiftly crashed as a result of the attention, and prompted swift backlash, including from his own party.
Much of the list centered around reporting on the investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the inquiry as “fake news”, despite the consensus of the US government and its allies that Moscow worked to sway the election in Trump’s favour.
Shortly after making the awards public, Trump offered mild praise for a faction of the media, tweeting: “Despite some very corrupt and dishonest media coverage, there are many great reporters I respect and lots of GOOD NEWS for the American people to be proud of!”
While his attacks on press freedom date back to his candidacy, his decision to hold “Fake News Awards” marked a bizarre spectacle even by the standards of an impulsive president.
The move was nonetheless prime fodder for Trump’s base, which has rallied behind his extraordinary assault on the first amendment. GNS
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