Trump’s attacks on ‘fake news’ expand
President: CNN International misrepresenting U.S.
WASHINGTON – President Trump’s attacks on what he calls “fake news” are no longer limited to CNN. It’s CNN International. Trump’s new animosity toward the Cable News Network’s global sister channel symbolizes what press freedom advocates say is a disturbing new dimension to the president’s feud with the media. They say Trump, instead of defending the First Amendment, is now setting a worldwide example for rulers who would clamp down on press freedom.
“He’s definitely sending a dangerous message,” said Margaux Ewen of Reporters Without Borders, an international organization devoted to defending press freedom. “I can’t speak to his intent, but this new international angle of his attacks against the press is concerning.”
Since returning from his Asia trip — during which he said he was “forced to watch” CNN International in the Philippines — Trump has renewed his longstanding feud with the network.
In a tweet Saturday, Trump said Fox News is much more important in the United States than CNN. “But outside of the U.S., CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!” he said.
CNN’s response: “It’s not CNN’s job to represent the U.S to the world. That’s yours. Our job is to report the news.”
Trump has branded news outlets as “fake news” since before he took office, using a term originally used to describe falsified news stories manufactured for monetary or political gain as an epithet against any news coverage he disagrees with.
He’s voiced those complaints not just in Washington, but in foreign capitals.
In his first overseas news conference in July, Trump blasted CNN and NBC by name for what he called “biased” reporting — and then suggested that Polish President Andrej Duda has similar problems. Duda, who has drawn the attention of the European Union for his crackdown on a free press, agreed that “media order” was important. Later, Trump tweeted that he would “fight the fake news” with Duda.
During his Asia trip this month, Trump did not have a joint news conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping after the Chinese vetoed the idea. Trump also failed to hold a solo news conference for the entire trip, though he did talk to reporters off camera aboard Air Force One. And for one day in Vietnam, traveling reporters following him were shut out from presidential events entirely.
When Trump later met with Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines president shut down reporters trying to ask questions by declaring, “You are the spies.” Trump laughed.
Trump’s latest attack came the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law requiring selected foreign news organizations to register as foreign agents — an apparent retaliation for the U.S. Justice Department enforcing its existing Foreign Agent Registration act against Russian propaganda outlet Russia Today, or RT.
RT was identified in a U.S. intelligence community assessment as being part of a sophisticated Russian campaign to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.
“Americans have a right to know who is acting in the United States to influence the U.S. government or public on behalf of foreign principals,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana Boente said this month in announcing RT’s registration as a foreign agent.