Just hours after attacking NBC News and calling for their journalistic license to be challenged, Donald Trump is doubling down on his war with the media. In a follow-up to his morning tweet, the president is taking his feud with the press to another level.
Trump on news media
Donald Trump has made it more than clear that he's not a fan of the mainstream media, which dates back to the early dates of the 2016 presidential election. The former host of "The Apprentice" has called out various journalists and reporters from time to time, and even put well-respected news outlets on blast.
Since being sworn into office last January, the rift between Trump and the media has only gotten worse, with the commander in chief calling any report he doesn't agree with as "fake news." The term was first used by Democrats and liberals to describe made up false stories on the internet that many believe leaned to the political right to help Trump win the election. However, the term has since been taken over by the president and is his most common verbal weapon of choice. After NBC News reported on Trump's alleged plan to increase the United States' nuclear arsenal, the president quickly pushed back, doing so once again during an October 11 tweet.
Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked. Not fair to public!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday night, Donald Trump piled on the news media, this time calling on their licenses to be challenged and even stripped from them.
"Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked," Trump tweeted out, before adding, "Not fair to public!" As expected, the reaction to Trump's threat didn't go over well on social media.
Twitter reaction
Not long after Donald Trump sent out his anti-media tweet, those who oppose the administration wasted no time giving their thoughts.
"So, you’re really trying to take away the right to a Free Press so you can become the dictator you’ve always wanted to be, is that it?" Bishop Talbert Swan replied.
You are undermining the constitution of the United States. That is a very dangerous thing.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) October 12, 2017
And I’m sure it would be between @FOXNews and @Breitbart to be your state run propaganda machine, pumping out compliments to you & lies 2 us
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) October 12, 2017
"What's not fair to the public is every time you scream fake news.
You were making it so that the First Amendment doesn't exist," an additional tweet read. "Ha! Good luck. Every heard of the First Amendment you fucking jackass?" another tweet added.
But of course you don’t, since you fear answering questions on the spot.
— Greg Shugar (@GregShugar) October 12, 2017
Holy fuck what is wrong with you?
— Noah Kalina (@noahkalina) October 12, 2017
You are the single greatest threat to all things that are good about America.
— elan gale (@theyearofelan) October 12, 2017
"If you'd simply hold a press conference where you can speak directly to the press, all of your cries about 'Fake News' would disappear," Greg Shugar noted. The negative reaction continued as the bad blood between Donald Trump and the media showed no signs of coming to an end.
