Trump resumes attack on fourth estate
CNN, NBC, New York Times called ‘the enemy of the American People’
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump further escalated his attacks on the news media Friday afternoon when he tweeted that outlets like the New York Times, NBC, ABC, CBS and CNN are not his enemy but are “the enemy of the American People.”
Although Trump has long colorfully criticized news coverage and sparred with reporters who question him, he had not yet labeled the fourth estate as being an enemy of the country. On the campaign trail, some of Trump’s supporters would heckle and threaten reporters who covered his rallies, and his tweet Friday came 24 hours before his first political rally as president.
It took the president two tries to properly post his message, which came soon after he arrived at his luxury, oceanfront estate for the weekend. The first tweet, which was quickly deleted, contained a number of extra spaces and listed the Times, CNN and NBC, ending with this conclusion: “SICK!” The second tweet added ABC and CBS to the list, while removing “SICK!” Both tweets labeled these organizations as being “the fake news media,” with “fake news” put into all-caps.
The tweet read: The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @ CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!
The media has been credited with breaking stories about Trump’s administration that have prompted action this week, including asking for the resignation of his national security adviser Monday and his nominee for labor secretary withdrawing from consideration Wednesday. Meanwhile, the president has berated the press for allegedly distorting facts and not painting a rosy portrait of the country under his leadership. At a news conference at the White House on Thursday, Trump uttered the words “fake news” seven times.
“Much of the media in Washington, D.C. — along with New York, Los Angeles, in particular — speaks not for the people, but for the special interests and for those profiting off a very, very obviously broken system,” Trump said early in the news conference, which lasted an hour and 15 minutes. “The press has become so dishonest that if we don’t talk about, we are doing a tremendous disservice to the American people. Tremendous disservice. We have to talk to find out what’s going on, because the press honestly is out of control. The level of dishonesty is out of control.”
Friday, Trump struck more positive themes in an appearance at a Boeing plant in North Charleston, S.C. With a 787 Dreamliner parked behind him, Trump said he had come to celebrate “jobs, jobs, jobs.”
“My focus has been all about jobs, and jobs is one of the primary reasons I’m standing here today as your president,” Trump said. “I will never ever disappoint you, believe me, I will not disappoint you.”
He spoke of expanding the reach of the American dream and unleashing the “American spirit“; there was little reference to the “carnage” he discussed in his inaugural address less than a month ago or the “mess” he repeatedly cited in Thursday’s news conference.
Thursday night, the Republican Party and Trump’s campaign websites posted a “Mainstream Media Accountability Survey” that asked 25 questions that were worded in a way that would never be allowed in a scientific survey. The survey formalized Trump’s attacks and his insinuation that media outlets are working against the American people. It’s unclear what, if anything, the data will be used for, and participants are required to give their name, email address and Zip code.
Digital fundraising experts said the media accountability survey appeared designed to keep Trump’s most loyal supporters engaged. People who fill out the questionnaire are taken to a donation page where they are asked to give between $35 and $2,500 — with the option of making a monthly recurring donation.
“President Trump is asking you to go the extra mile and make a contribution to help defend our movement from the outrageous attacks from the media coming our way,” it states. “Contribute now to help us fight back against the media’s attacks and deceptions.”