U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during a press conference following his historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un June 12, 2018 in Singapore. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Jun 13, 2018
After triumphantly boasting in a tweet on Friday that North Korea is "no longer a nuclear threat" following just a few hours of vague discussions, an absolutely "bonkers" video presentation, and several photo ops with Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump declared that the "biggest enemy" of the United States is now "fake news"--otherwise known as journalism Trump doesn't like.
"They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea," Trump tweeted, apparently referring to journalists who have highlighted the fact that the "deal" reached with North Korea is thin on substance, non-binding, and just the first step in a long diplomatic process.
"Our country's biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!" Trump added.
\u201cJust landed - a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Meeting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience. North Korea has great potential for the future!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1528883817
\u201cSo funny to watch the Fake News, especially NBC and CNN. They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea. 500 days ago they would have \u201cbegged\u201d for this deal-looked like war would break out. Our Country\u2019s biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1528896649
While this is hardly the first time Trump has launched such a broadside against journalism--last year he cast the news media as "the enemy of the American people"--the president's latest attack was nonetheless met with alarm by reporters and at least one government official.
"I believe in the First Amendment. I believe in journalism. I believe pronouncements like this cross lines," wrote FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "I hope and pray that my FCC colleagues agree."
\u201cThe president is calling a free press the greatest enemy of America. https://t.co/tIYFUL3rEY\u201d— John Iadarola (@John Iadarola) 1528896733
\u201cWe\u2019ve become inured to this, but what would we say about another country where their leader was calling journalists their \u201cbiggest enemy" https://t.co/6WPpe40i0v\u201d— Matt O'Brien (@Matt O'Brien) 1528900178
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
After triumphantly boasting in a tweet on Friday that North Korea is "no longer a nuclear threat" following just a few hours of vague discussions, an absolutely "bonkers" video presentation, and several photo ops with Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump declared that the "biggest enemy" of the United States is now "fake news"--otherwise known as journalism Trump doesn't like.
"They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea," Trump tweeted, apparently referring to journalists who have highlighted the fact that the "deal" reached with North Korea is thin on substance, non-binding, and just the first step in a long diplomatic process.
"Our country's biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!" Trump added.
\u201cJust landed - a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Meeting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience. North Korea has great potential for the future!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1528883817
\u201cSo funny to watch the Fake News, especially NBC and CNN. They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea. 500 days ago they would have \u201cbegged\u201d for this deal-looked like war would break out. Our Country\u2019s biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1528896649
While this is hardly the first time Trump has launched such a broadside against journalism--last year he cast the news media as "the enemy of the American people"--the president's latest attack was nonetheless met with alarm by reporters and at least one government official.
"I believe in the First Amendment. I believe in journalism. I believe pronouncements like this cross lines," wrote FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "I hope and pray that my FCC colleagues agree."
\u201cThe president is calling a free press the greatest enemy of America. https://t.co/tIYFUL3rEY\u201d— John Iadarola (@John Iadarola) 1528896733
\u201cWe\u2019ve become inured to this, but what would we say about another country where their leader was calling journalists their \u201cbiggest enemy" https://t.co/6WPpe40i0v\u201d— Matt O'Brien (@Matt O'Brien) 1528900178
After triumphantly boasting in a tweet on Friday that North Korea is "no longer a nuclear threat" following just a few hours of vague discussions, an absolutely "bonkers" video presentation, and several photo ops with Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump declared that the "biggest enemy" of the United States is now "fake news"--otherwise known as journalism Trump doesn't like.
"They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea," Trump tweeted, apparently referring to journalists who have highlighted the fact that the "deal" reached with North Korea is thin on substance, non-binding, and just the first step in a long diplomatic process.
"Our country's biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!" Trump added.
\u201cJust landed - a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Meeting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience. North Korea has great potential for the future!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1528883817
\u201cSo funny to watch the Fake News, especially NBC and CNN. They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea. 500 days ago they would have \u201cbegged\u201d for this deal-looked like war would break out. Our Country\u2019s biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1528896649
While this is hardly the first time Trump has launched such a broadside against journalism--last year he cast the news media as "the enemy of the American people"--the president's latest attack was nonetheless met with alarm by reporters and at least one government official.
"I believe in the First Amendment. I believe in journalism. I believe pronouncements like this cross lines," wrote FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "I hope and pray that my FCC colleagues agree."
\u201cThe president is calling a free press the greatest enemy of America. https://t.co/tIYFUL3rEY\u201d— John Iadarola (@John Iadarola) 1528896733
\u201cWe\u2019ve become inured to this, but what would we say about another country where their leader was calling journalists their \u201cbiggest enemy" https://t.co/6WPpe40i0v\u201d— Matt O'Brien (@Matt O'Brien) 1528900178
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.