Similarly to the 29 percent of recently polled Americans, the president has blasted the press as the “enemy of the people,” frequently via Twitter.
The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2017
They asked my daughter Ivanka whether or not the media is the enemy of the people. She correctly said no. It is the FAKE NEWS, which is a large percentage of the media, that is the enemy of the people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2018
The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know it’s TRUE. I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2018
Trump has also publicly discussed revoking the credentials of various media outlets who he describes as “fake news.”
Some news media outlets have responded to accusations alleging their dishonesty. Throughout the second half of 2017, CNN and Trump publicly sparred regarding the validity of the former’s reports. CNN even launched a “#FactsFirst” campaign, widely viewed as a passive-aggressive response to allegations of “fake news.”
CNN also pushed back against the president’s condemnation of the manner in which the platform represents the United States.
It's not CNN's job to represent the U.S to the world. That's yours. Our job is to report the news. #FactsFirst 🍎
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 25, 2017