Media

Trump calls journalists ‘fiction writers’ in latest media attack

by Joe Concha - 10/17/17 7:14 PM ET

President Trump launched another attack on the media on Tuesday, tweeting to his 40.7 million followers that “fiction writers” are putting out “fake news,” naming NBC, CBS, ABC and CNN specifically.

“So much Fake News being put in dying magazines and newspapers,” Trump tweeted Tuesday afternoon. “Only place worse may be @NBCNews, @CBSNews, @ABC and @CNN. Fiction writers!”

So much Fake News being put in dying magazines and newspapers. Only place worse may be @NBCNews, @CBSNews, @ABC and @CNN. Fiction writers!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2017

It’s not clear what specific report, if any, the president was responding to.

Trump slammed NBC News last week after it was reported that he had called for an increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal, a report he and Defense Secretary James Mattis strongly refuted.

{mosads}”It’s frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write,” Trump said at the time to reporters while meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trump continued to voice his displeasure over the report on Twitter and even suggested that broadcast licenses of some news networks be challenged.

“With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!” he tweeted.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said Tuesday he stood for the First Amendment and would not revoke licenses based on news material produced.

Tags James Mattis