Newspapers push back in Trump ‘fake news’ rant

Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against President Donald Trump’s attacks on “fake news” yesterday with a coordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press.

The Boston Globe, which set the campaign in motion by urging the unified voice, had estimated that some 350 newspapers would participate. They did across the breadth of the country. The Portland (Maine) Press-herald said a free and independent press is the best defence against tyranny, while the Honolulu Star-advertiser emphasised democracy’s need for a free press.

“The true enemies of the people – and democracy – are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonising the messenger,” wrote the Des Moines Register in Iowa.

Yesterday morning, Trump again took to Twitter to denounce “fake news.”

He wrote: “The fake news media is the opposition party. It is very bad for our great country .... but we are winning!”