Donald Trump goes berserk after three hundred newspapers condemn him
President Donald J. Trump appears to be developing his USSR persona every day, learning from his master, former KGB agent Vladimir Putin. In a tweet on Thursday morning, he wrote: “THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country….BUT WE ARE WINNING!”
This apparently was triggered by the 350 newspapers who wrote editorials which pushed back against Trump’s statement that the media was the “enemy of the people.” The thinnest-skinned president in our nation’s history did what he does when anything negative is said about him – he acts out like a spoiled five-year-old.
The rhetoric, much like his pulling of John Brennan’s security clearance, is a dangerous precedent. Like a dictatorial power, Trump appears to be intent on silencing his critics and anyone who does not blindly buy into his lies. His latest tweet is an attempt to marginalize the press and continue his drumbeat that the press is “fake news” and that it is not to be trusted.
But we must see through this and not allow him to prevail. Bravo to the liberal, neutral and conservative editorial boards across this great nation, from Alaska to Hawaii to every point east and west and north and south in our nation. As the Boston Globe editorial board wrote, “Journalists are not classified as fellow Americans, but rather ‘The enemy of the people.’ This relentless assault on the free press has dangerous consequences.”
Donald Trump lashed out at the Boston Globe in another tweet: “The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!” Trump at his best – trying to distract and project. He is the opposition party, aligning with his hero, Putin, in seeking to silence the media, and somehow dreaming up a case of “collusion with other papers.” The Emptyeror as always has no clothes.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.