2018-08-22

Enemy action: Trump and the media

① About 200 American newspapers will publish editorials today expressing their displeasure with President Donald Trump's repeated attacks on journalists.

② The Boston Globe co-ordinated the unusual display of unity, urging other news outlets to join it in condemning Mr Trump's rhetoric and promoting freedom of the press.

③ Newspapers participating include the New York Times, the Dallas Morning News, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Chicago Sun-Times.

④ The president has often characterised factual but negative media stories about him as "fake news" in an effort to undermine faith in journalism.

⑤ He has also referred to the press as "the enemy" of the American people.

⑥ In June five employees of a local newspaper were killed when a gunman opened fire at its office in Annapolis, Maryland, raising worries that Mr Trump's choice of words was dangerously inflammatory.

⑦ He has since repeated the rhetoric, despite entreaties from journalists to stop.

⑧ Expect more Trump tweets after today's editorials are published.