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.
Just 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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018
So 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 “begged” for this deal-looked like war would break out. Our Country’s biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018
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."
Critical journalism is "our country's biggest enemy," says the president of the United States. https://t.co/4CuKFinKQB
— Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) June 13, 2018
The president is calling a free press the greatest enemy of America. https://t.co/tIYFUL3rEY
— John Iadarola (@johniadarola) June 13, 2018
We’ve become inured to this, but what would we say about another country where their leader was calling journalists their “biggest enemy" https://t.co/6WPpe40i0v
— Matt O'Brien (@ObsoleteDogma) June 13, 2018
